The Boy Behind The Mask
by Ottsel Cath
Summary: Ally's life was turned upside down when her parents decided to move from Miami to Québec City, but especially when she met a mysterious teenage boy who's angry and bitter about something. She's the good girl and she wants to help him. The only problem? He's the bad boy and he doesn't want her to help him.
1. Introductions

**Chapter 1  
Introductions**

* * *

"Ally. Wake up." I heard my mom shout from the living room of our new home.

"Please, give me another five minutes." I begged not opening my eyes.

"No. You don't want to be late on your first day of school, do you?" She rhetorically asked. First day at a new school without knowing anyone, yay. Note my sarcasm.

"I guess not." I responded.

"Then get up." My mom said and she left.

Today was my first day in a new school and it's not a school near the one I used to go. There's about three thousand kilometres separating them.

That's right. My parents decided to move from Miami to Québec City in Canada. I can't say I hate this place, because it's really pretty and the people I've met so far are really nice, but it's so far from everything I've always known and it's kind of destabilizing.

The weather is indescribable. It's not like Miami where it's mostly sunny and hot. Here, it's like all the seasons can happen in the same week. It can be really hot and sunny on Monday, a cold and rainy day on Tuesday, a snow day on Wednesday and a hot and sunny day again on Thursday. It's kind of confusing, but I got used to it.

I just need to have clothes for the four seasons in my closet. I heard winter here could be really cold and that there can be a lot of snow hence lots of accidents on the roads and falls on sidewalks. I heard that even if they are prepared, it might take too much time to salt the roads and the sidewalk and accidents happen because of that.

Honestly though, I can't wait to experience my first snow. I really want to build a snowman. I know it's a cliché, but it seems so cool. I've never been in the snow before and it always looks so beautiful in movies. It's really romantic and calming.

I've been here for a month and a half now. I spent almost all summer here. I explored a bit, but I mostly worked at my parents' store. They own a music store called Sonic Boom in the "Galeries de la Capitale," which is a huge shopping centre with rides in it. There's even an arena. I heard hockey was a really important sport here and that most of the little boys want to join a team. I guess it's the equivalent of football in the States.

So far, everything seems really nice and friendly except for one thing: I'm not really fluent in French. I manage to get myself understood and some Quebecers do speak English, so that helps me a lot, but I still need to learn French and French grammar is way more complicated than English grammar. I just wish I could become fluent instantly.

It's a good thing I'm going to an English school though. They have a couple of English schools throughout the province, so at least I can make friends I can actually understand.

Speaking of friends, I made one during the summer. Her name is Trish. I don't know if I can call her a good friend, but we get along fine. She's going to the same school I'm going, so I'm happy I'll know one person. She's really loud and eccentric, but she seems like an awesome person nevertheless.

I finally decided to get up from my bed to get dress. The school system is so different here. Basically, there's elementary school, that's kindergarten through sixth grade and then there's secondary school, which is pretty much like high school, but it's grade seven through grade eleven. They're not called grades, but secondary. I'm in secondary five, which is like grade eleven. It means it's my last year in high school here and then I'll be off to CEGEP. That's what you do before going to university. It sounds complicated, but it's not that much once you have to live it.

So, I picked up my clothes from my drawers. I want to look pretty, but not like I'm desperate. I'm going for an I-just-want-to-fit-in kind of look. I chose black skinny jeans and a black and white stripped t-shirt. I then walked to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Showers always calm me when I am nervous and I just love the feeling of hot water on my skin. When I was done, I accessorized a bit and put light makeup on. I'm not the kind of person that likes to wear loads of makeup. I do like it, but I want my look to be natural. Besides, makeup is so expensive that I'd rather spend my money on other things like clothes or entertainment.

I finally walked downstairs and prepared some toast for my breakfast. I put peanut butter and jelly on it. I ate both of my toasts under a minute and then grabbed an apple. I ate it and walked back to my room.

I took my school bag and made sure I had everything I needed in it. The structure of a day is so different here, so I don't need as much school supplies in one day. School starts at 9:35 a.m. and ends at 4:05 p.m. There are four periods per day, five if you add lunch. I do not have the same classes every day, which is unusual for me. It's a nine-day cycle thing. When nine days have passed, the cycle starts over. It's weird, but I'll get used to it. The good thing is that I don't have P.E. every day.

I went to say goodbye to my parents. They kept telling me to be careful and to make friends. Yeah, like it's easy for me to make friends. I had one friend back in Florida named Piper. She's really nice and I really miss her. I try to talk to her as often as I can. I might go to Miami during Christmas break to see her and my family and I am really excited about that.

So, I walked outside and stood at the end of our driveway. We have a really simple house, two stories and a basement, but it is really pretty. My room is pretty big and I have my own balcony. The view from it is just wonderful. I can see the St-Lawrence River flow from it and it's behind the house, so I'm not disturbed by people walking in the street.

Oh yeah, back to waiting. My mom told me the school bus would pick me up right in front of the house. She said it's a big yellowish bus. Back in Miami, I used to walk to school, so that is also new to me.

It finally arrived and I walked on board. It was really simple and plain. It was the basics to get us to school.

There were children that were eleven or twelve sitting in the front and then there were people my age sitting in the back. I sat at the back of the bus alone in the only empty bench I could find. I didn't know anyone and I knew Trish walked to school, so I was destined to ride the bus alone. The children at the front were speaking really loudly, and it was really annoying.

Then, right before the driver started to drive again, a blond teenage boy got in. He sat in the last seat that was empty and he had headphones on.

I couldn't help but be mesmerized by his movements. I looked at every single one of his features. He was dead gorgeous. He had perfect messy blond hair that was swept to the side and seemed to have quite the muscular body. He looked perfect. He was wearing black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. I must say, that style was really working for him. He had sad-looking eyes though. Even though their hazelnut colour was just perfect, they weren't full of joy. I can't imagine how beautiful they'd be if they were full of joy.

Then, he looked my way and I looked away. He seemed annoyed by something. I just got caught staring at him. I blushed a bit while looking away since I was literally checking him out.

"Câlice, faut-il que je te donne ma photo ? " (Do I need to fucking give you my picture?) He asked looking at me. Oh gosh. What do I say? I can't really speak French so I have no idea what he's just said.

"What?" I asked.

"I said stop fucking looking at me." He spat and he looked away. It was hard to take him really seriously, because he had a huge French Canadian accent which is both funny and cute.

How charming… That was a nice first impression. What's with the cussing? That's not very attractive.

I glanced at him once in a while, and he was now talking on the phone. He was speaking French, so I didn't really understand what he was saying, but he looked both angry and irritated.

It didn't suit him. I'm sure a genuine smile would look better on him like it does on most people. Sometimes, I wish people could let go of their anger and enjoy life. If we spend time being negative all the time, we are never going to be happy. That's why I chose to see the good in everything even if I sometimes wished I stayed in Florida.

Then, I felt the bus stop and everyone started to get up and exited the bus.

I did the same.

I walked inside the school and searched for my locker. I got my schedule and my locker number last Friday. I must say, this school is kind of big and I didn't know where I was going.

Then, somebody ran into me.

"Sorry." I said as I saw Trish.

"Trish!" I exclaimed extremely happy to see her.

"Ally!" She said. "I'm happy to see you."

"Me too." I said excitedly.

"How was the end of your summer?" She asked me.

"It was fine. I helped my parents at the store a lot and I wrote a couple of songs." I said to her.

"That's nice. Wait, you write songs?" She gasped/

"Of course I do. It's one of my hobbies. I don't like showing them to people though. I'm always a bit scared about what they think." I explained. "How was the end of your summer?"

"It was good. I got fired from seven jobs." She said like she won a world record or something.

"In five days?" I asked a bit shocked.

"I know right? I should've gone for more." She said. Wait, what?

"What?" I asked confused and she chuckled.

"I hate working." She said.

"Don't get a job then." I said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"But my parents want me to." She said. Oh. That's why.

"Hey, maybe you could help me." I started to say. "I don't really know this place."

"Of course. I can show you around. We'll go see where your locker is?" She asked.

"Good." I responded.

She walked me there and I opened it. I put my bag in it and only took a binder, a notebook and my pencil case with me.

"Show me your schedule." She said.

"Okay." I said as I gave it to her.

"We have maths, English, French, chemistry, physics and P.E. together." She said.

"Cool. So, that means we have first and third period together." I said. It was nice to have someone I know with me in my first class ever in Québec.

We walked to the classroom and sat in the back of it. It slowly started to get full with students and the teacher finally walked in.

"Bonjour tout le monde. Je suis M. Desrochers et je serai votre enseignant de français pour l'année." (Good day everybody. I am M. Desrochers and I'll be your French teacher for the year.) He said. Great, I forgot it was French class. How pleasant.

He then explained the rules in English to make sure we understood and he explained what we were going to do in this class during the year. That lasted for twenty minutes, and then someone opened the door of the classroom.

"M. Moon. Late on your first class of the year. Why am I not surprised?" The teacher said irritated.

It was _him_. It was the guy that cussed at me in the bus.

"Sorry." He said and he looked like he didn't really mean it.

"Just go sit down." The teacher demanded exasperated.

The only empty seat was next to me. Great. I'll just end up being cussed at again and I know I will, because I can't take my eyes of him. He seems so mysterious.

I continued listening to the teacher, but I watched him with the corner of my eyes so he wouldn't notice.

"Fuck, I thought I told you to stop looking at me." He whispered to me. I thought I was subtle.

"I'm not doing anything wrong. Calm down." I whispered-yelled to him.

"Yes, you're fucking annoying me." He said.

"Whatever." I said and I looked away.

He sure is a really nice fellow. Really, he's an ass, but he was somehow mesmerizing.

He spent the whole period on his phone or dozing off. He seems like an amazing student. Note the sarcasm.

Finally, the bell rang and we had a fifteen-minute break. Trish and I sat in the cafeteria and talked about the class. She asked me about my understanding of the French language and what I think of this school so far. Then, a redhead sat next to Trish.

"Really?" She said annoyed while looking at him.

"It's good to see you too, Trish." The boy said.

"Hi." I shyly said to him.

"That's Dez, but don't listen to him. He's a dimwit." She said.

"I'm Ally." I said looking at him and ignoring Trish's mean comment about the guy.

"Are you new here?" He asked me.

"Yes, I moved here from Miami." I said.

"Cool. I went there once." He said. "I love the beaches there."

"They are amazing. I love them too." I said.

"What brings you to this place?" He asked.

"My parents decided that they needed changes and they opened a store in the _Galeries de la Capitale_." I said and they laughed.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Your accent." Trish said. "It's so cute."

"At least I'm trying." I said a bit offended.

"Don't worry, you'll handle the French language in no time." She said.

The bell rang indicating I needed to get to class.

Well, I need to get to my next class.

* * *

It was history and it was pretty boring. I did like the change though. I am tired of hearing about American history and Canadian history was refreshing. The teacher was really boring though. Neither Trish nor Dez were in that class, so I ended up sitting alone.

The bell rang indicating the end of the period.

Yes, class was over.

I joined Trish and Dez at the cafeteria and they were arguing.

"I've told you before, unicorns do not exist." She said loudly.

"Yes, they do, I've seen one when I was in Australia." He said.

"You were hallucinating." She responded.

"But London Tipton said they are living in Australia." Dez complained.

"What?" Trish rolled her eyes. "She's a fictional character from a show and she was meant to be stupid. Do you seriously believe her?"

"Hey guys." I said, but they continued arguing.

"HEY GUYS." I said a lot louder. They both stopped talking.

"Hey Ally." They both said at the same time.

We were eating lunch and chatting about anything when I saw that mop of blond hair make its way through the cafeteria and sit down at an empty table. He was sitting alone. A part of me felt bad for him, but another part of me reminded me that he was a complete asshole and that it was normal for him to be alone since he insulted everyone.

"What's his deal?" I asked Trish and Dez looking in his direction.

"Who?" Trish asked.

"The blond guy sitting alone over there." I said.

"That's Austin Moon." Dez said. "He's bad news."

"Why?" I asked not surprised by her comment.

"He skips classes, arrives late, cusses a lot, gets into fights and he doesn't talk to anyone except for vital things. He's a loner." Trish explained.

"Maybe there is a reason for his actions?" I suggested. "People that are like that tend to have a reason for it."

"Don't try to get to know him." Trish said.

"You'll just get hurt." Dez added.

"He's kind of hot." I said smiling. "And being a loner doesn't make you a bad person."

"Don't fall for his charm." Trish said. "I heard that he only uses girls to have sex with them."

"Okay…" I said a bit disappointed. I somehow really hoped he wasn't all that bad.

"I also heard that he was involved with the police and that he had a police record for stealing and vandalizing." Trish explained.

"That's not good." I responded. "Does he have any friends?" I asked.

"No. No one wants to be friends with a criminal." She said.

"Come on. Maybe those rumours aren't even true." I said.

"No one knows. He pushes away everyone who tries to talk to him." Trish said.

"Some people say that it was more than stealing and vandalized. Some say that he put people's lives in danger." Trish said.

"Do you mean like kill someone?" I asked.

"No, but he got into a couple of fights last year and he always knocked the person unconscious." Trish explained.

"Do you believe these rumours?" I asked.

"No one said otherwise, so I don't know." She said. "Don't get close to him though. I don't want him to hurt you."

Even with Trish's warnings, I still felt drawn to him. I feel like he's not the guy he seems. I feel like there's more to him than anger and loneliness.

People don't act like that unless they were traumatized by something or something bad happen to them.

Whatever it was, I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to get to know him.

Even if my breathing annoys him.

He's a mystery I want to solve.

* * *

 **Thank you all so much for reading, the reviews, the follows and the favorites. It all means so much to me and you guys are all so awesome! Peace out :)**

 **Here is the sneak peek for the next chapter:**

"By the way honey, we have a dinner tomorrow night." I heard my mom shout.

"Where?" I asked.

"The neighbors, they invited us to welcome us." She said and I bet she was smiling. She just loves those kinds of dinners. It's always nice to meet the neighbours, but I don't really talk during those dinners since there isn't anyone my age most of the time.

"Great." I said even if I didn't exactly mean it.

"I heard they have a son that's about your age. You'll have someone to talk to. I heard he even goes to the same school as you." She cheerily said and I smiled slightly.


	2. Surprises

**Chapter 2  
Surprises**

* * *

I walked out of the bus and walked straight into my house. It was an exhausting day; it's very stressful to learn to function in a completely new system. Surprisingly, Austin wasn't in the bus. Maybe he got detention for being late or something. Everyone seems to think he only gets in trouble.

I really wonder if all those rumors are true though. Is he really as bad as people think?

I think he's just misunderstood or something. He clearly is a loner and if he wants to be left alone, he shouldn't really get in trouble, right?

I opened the door to my house and greeted my mother. I t was obvious that my father was still at the store since his car wasn't in the driveway.

"Hey mom, I'm home." I shouted through the house.

"Hi honey, how was your first day?" She asked walking up to me.

"Not too bad. Trish is in most of my classes, so it's nice to know someone." I responded.

"I'm glad to hear that. How are the teachers?" She asked.

"They're fine. Some are pretty boring, but I'm used to it." I replied to her.

My mom went back to the living room and I proceeded to walk upstairs to put my bag in my room.

"By the way honey, we have a dinner tomorrow night." I heard my mom shout.

"Where?" I asked.

"The neighbors, they invited us to welcome us." She said and I bet she was smiling. She just loves those kinds of dinners. It's always nice to meet the neighbours, but I don't really talk during those dinners since there isn't anyone my age most of the time.

"Great." I said even if I didn't exactly mean it.

"I heard they have a son that's about your age. You'll have someone to talk to. I heard he even goes to the same school as you." She cheerily said and I smiled slightly.

A boy my age? That might actually be fun and that might be a good distraction from Austin. Maybe I could even become friends with that guy.

Wow, I sound like a five year old right now…

"Okay cool." I shouted before walking upstairs.

I wanted to go to my room and video chat Piper. I haven't talked to her in the last four days. She was busy with school and so am I.

I opened my lap top and opened Skype. I clicked on her name and waited for her to answer.

"Hey Piper!" I happily.

"Ally, Hi! It's good to see you." She said smiling. "So, how's the new school?" She asked.

"It's okay. It's a school." I responded, which made her laugh.

"Come on. You know that's not what I wanna know." She said. "How are the people there?"

"There's Trish. I talked about her before. She's really nice and we are getting along great. She introduced me to, I don't think I can call him her friend, because they're always arguing, a guy. His name is Dez. He's really nice, but a bit weird. He believes in unicorn and he's sure he saw one in Australia." I explained.

"Is he cute?" She asked and winked.

"He's nice, but I do not think of him that way." I responded.

"Normally I wouldn't believe you, but I kinda do." She said. "Did you meet any boys?"

Do I tell her about _him_? I looked at my left and then looked back at her.

"Not really." I said.

"You're lying. Your eyes shifted to the left. You always do that when you're lying." She said. "What's his name?"

"Austin." I said defeated. "Austin Moon."

"What's he like?" She asked looking a bit too interested. Piper was the kind of girl who lived of drama and secrets. She knew everything about everyone at the school I used to go to.

"A jerk." I said without even thinking about it.

"Why?" She asked looking confused.

"He told me to fuck off." I paused. "Twice."

"Ouch." She said. "Why? Did you even have a real conversation with him?" She asked.

"No." I said.

"Then what happened?" She asked.

"I first saw him in the bus. I was just looking at him and then he told me something in French, but I did not understand. He looked at me like I was an idiot and said _I said stop fucking looking at me_ and I did so." I explained.

"He must be really hot." She thought aloud.

"He is. He just looks perfect, well, except for his attitude. He has blond hair that is perfectly messy, beautiful hazel eyes and he's really muscular, but not too much. He dresses like the bad boys you see in movies. There's something about him that makes him really… _attractive_." I said to her and she chuckled.

"What?" I asked.

"You got it bad." She said.

"What? No. He's just intriguing." I said. "I can't fall for a guy I've barely just met."

"Right." She said and I knew she didn't believe me. "You said he told you to fuck off twice. What happened the second time?" She asked.

"Well, he arrived late to class and the only empty seat was next to me, so he sat there. I observed him with the corners of my eyes and I thought I was really subtle. He looked at me and told me he thought he already told me to stop looking at him. I responded by saying I didn't do anything wrong and he said I was being annoying." I explained to her.

"Well, he seems like a really nice guy." She sarcastically said. "I'm sure you can do better than that."

"I don't want to date him. I want to get to know him." I said determined.

"Why?" She asked.

"There's something about him. I feel like there's more to his than an angry and bitter teenager. I want to know why he doesn't talk to anyone and why he pushed me away. I want to help him." I said to her.

"Just don't get hurt in the process." She warned me. Piper was the kind of friend who always looked after me and who would make sure I'm happy.

"I won't. Besides, I'm going to a dinner with my parents tomorrow night and my mom said they have a son my age. That might be the beginning of a friendship." I said with a smile.

"Or the most romantic relationship of your life." Piper exaggerated. "What if he's the love of your life?"

"You can't beat the last one." I said with a hint of sadness.

"Come on. That boy was a total jerk. He didn't deserve you." Piper said to cheer me up.

"I know, but just thinking that he played me like that makes me sad." I said. "I can't believe I was so stupid and that I thought his feelings were true."

"Ally, that was three years ago, you're in a new country. It's time for you to start fresh and forget about that."

"You're right." I said. "Maybe the guy I'll meet tomorrow night will actually be really nice."

"Maybe." Piper said. "Don't forget to be positive."

"Thanks." I said with a faint smile.

"Well, I've got to run. I'll call you tomorrow." She said and we ended the call. "I want full details of the dinner."

I decided to go on Facebook to look for Austin's profile. I tapped his name in the search bar, but I couldn't find a picture matching him. He does not have Facebook? That's weird, well, for someone our age anyway.

I did research online to try and find things about him, but I couldn't find anything.

If he was some sort of criminal, there would be articles about what he did, right? Maybe not.

Maybe those rumors aren't true at all. Maybe something else made him close up to everyone. I just wish people wouldn't judge so quickly. Underneath, he might be a really nice guy.

* * *

My alarm clock started to make the irritating sound it does when I have to wake up and I lazily pressed the button so it would stop.

Another day of school. Yay!

Don't get me wrong. I love school. I was considered a nerd back in Miami, but school is different here. I don't know a lot of people and most of them don't notice me.

I'm not someone to notice.

I'm happy to see Trish and Dez. Maybe I'll even see Austin.

I do hope to see him.

Oh, and I have to go eat dinner with the neighbors tonight. I hope they are nice and I can't wait to meet their son.

I got up and put my clothes on. I then ate breakfast and headed outside to wait for the school bus.

I waited for a couple of minutes before the bus picked me up.

I sat down at the same spot I did yesterday and waited to see Austin.

The conductor closed the door and started moving forward.

No Austin?

Where is he?

Maybe he took the wrong bus yesterday or maybe he decided to ditch school today.

We arrived at school and I walked through it to get to my locker. I took what I needed for my first class with me and walked to the cafeteria. Trish and Dez are supposed to join me here. I took my phone out of my pocket to see if Trish or Dez texted me, but there was nothing.

When I looked up, I saw _him_.

He was sitting alone and he was listening to music.

I took my courage and walked up to where he was sitting. I sat in front of him confidently, but he didn't even flinch.

He didn't bother to look at me. He seemed mesmerized by his phone. Maybe he was ignoring my presence.

"Hi." I said a bit loud to make sure he would hear me.

He finally looked up and it looked like he was scanning me. He looked at his phone again.

"Aren't you going to say hi?" I asked.

"No." He said not looked at me.

"How charming." I said loud enough so he would hear. He still wasn't looking at me.

No wonder he doesn't have any friends.

"I'm just trying to be friendly here. I'm new in town." I said to him.

"Like I fucking care." He responded. He spoke. Progress.

"Why aren't you nice to me?" I asked. "Or at least polite?"

"Because I don't fucking like you." He said. So, that's the longest conversation we've had so far.

"Why? You don't even know me." I said.

He stood up and walked away.

Well, that went well. I still don't know anything about him.

I turned around and saw Trish and Dez sitting at a table looking at me.

"Hey guys." I said smiling, but they both furrowed they eyebrows and looked at me suspiciously.

"You're not listening to us I see." Trish said. "Don't let him fool you."

"He didn't do anything wrong. He's not trying to get into my pants. He's not even trying to talking to me." I said to them. "He literally ignores me."

"He wasn't a second ago." Dez pointed out.

"He only talked to tell me he didn't like me." I said. It somehow made me sad. I want to get to know him.

"He doesn't like anyone. It's really weird. Honestly, it's pathetic." Trish said looking at her nails.

"I think there's a reason behind that." I said.

"What would that be?" Trish asked looking interested.

"I don't know, but anyone who isolates himself is suffering from something." I explained.

"So what? You think he's going to open up to you?" Trish scoffed.

"I want him to." I said confidently, but I didn't fool anyone. How would someone like him open up to someone they hate?"

"I'm not going to stop you, but this is ridiculous. Ever since secondary one, he hasn't made one friend. It's not going to change now and this is not a fairy tale, Ally. He's not going to make you his best friend by next week." Trish said and I felt like she was right.

"I know… Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm delusional." I said looking down.

"Besides, I don't need such negative energy in my life." I said and that made Trish smile. I didn't really mean it though. I did genuinely want to help him even if it doesn't seem like he needs help.

* * *

The bell rang indicating the end of the day at school.

I haven't seen Austin since our encounter in the cafeteria this morning.

Trish and Dez kept telling me to stay away from him during P.E., because he's bad news. I don't want to.

I needed to get home as quickly as possible, because I had a dinner tonight.

Once I got home. I took a quick shower to relax my muscles. Let's just say P.E. and I don't work very well. I ended up falling a couple of times today and I'm pretty sure I'll be sore tomorrow.

Once I was ready and joined my mom and my dad and we walked to the neighbor's house.

My mom knocked on the door.

"Penny, Lester, Ally, come on in." The woman enthusiastically said.

"It's so nice to meet you all of you. I'm Mimi and this is my husband Mike." She said pointing to a tall man with salt and pepper hair.

"It's nice to meet you too." I shyly said.

The house was really pretty. We sat down at the table and I remembered something. Isn't there supposed to be a guy my age here?

"Ally dear." Mimi started. "My son is probably upstairs in his room. Could you go and tell him to come down?" She asked and I nodded. "It's the first door on the right."

I did as I was instructed and walked up the stairs and found the door Mimi mentioned and knocked on it. I couldn't wait to see who he was. I might have seen him at school before.

There was no response.

I knocked again.

Still no response.

I turned around and was about to go downstairs when I heard a voice.

"T'es qui?" (Who are you?) It asked. It definitely belonged to a boy.

I turned around and I saw _him_. Austin. You've got to be kidding me. He's my neighbor? How could I not notice this before?

"Tabarnak, tu me niaises." (Are you fucking kidding me?) He said as he saw me. I blushed.

For many reasons.

First, I just realized that he's my neighbor.

Second, he just came out of the shower, so he had nothing, but a towel around his waist. His hair was dripping and he looked adorably confused.

He was practically exposed to me. He was almost naked and he looked even hotter.

Gosh, he's so gorgeous. He's so sexy. His abs are just… wonderful and he's perfectly tanned for someone who isn't from Miami. I had to keep myself from drooling, figuratively, that is.

He looked at me and he frowned in anger.

"I know, I know, you want me to stop looking at you." I said.

"No. I mean yes. What are you doing in my house? Are you following me?" He asked and I couldn't describe his expression. It was a mix of anger and surprise I would say.

"I'm not following you. I didn't even know you lived here. I live next door. Your parents invited us over for dinner." I explained and it seems like he calmed down.

"Fucking fantastic." He said in a sarcastic tone as he walked into his room and slammed the door.

I walk downstairs hoping the blood in my cheeks was gone now. I'll never be able to get this image out of my mind though.

I sat down at the table and kept quiet.

"Is Austin coming?" Mimi asked.

"Yes. He'll be here in a minute." I said with the image of him in nothing, but a towel in my head.

This is going to be a really interesting night.

* * *

 **Thank you all so much for reading, the reviews, the follows and the favorites. It all means so much to me and you guys are all so awesome! Peace out :)**

 **Here is next chapter's sneak peek:**

I kept quiet and continued to listen to her (Mimi).

"I know he's (Austin) the kind to get in trouble." She said. "I wanted to ask you a favour." She said. "Could you please keep an eye on him at school? I feel like things are worse these days and I don't want him to do anything stupid."

"Yes, sure Mrs. Moon," I responded. That was unexpected.

"Thank you." She said.


	3. Troubled Mind

**Chapter 3  
Troubled Mind**

* * *

We were all sitting at the table waiting to eat dinner and Austin was sitting in front of me. The adults were talking about anything and Austin and I kept quiet. It was kind of awkward.

« So Ally, I heard you're going to the same school as Austin. Have you met him before? » Mimi asked.

« I have. A couple of times actually. He's quite… charming. » I said looking into his eyes. He knew exactly what I meant.

« That's nice to hear dear. Do you have classes together? » She asked.

« We do. » I responded.

« Wonderful. » She said.

Austin kept looking at everyone. He almost looked… worried. Or maybe he was embarrassed.

« You know Mrs. Moon, you have a lovely home. » I said to be polite.

« Thank you. » She said. « Maybe Austin would like to show you around. » His eyes widened.

« Sure. » He said without motivation.

Austin stood up and motion for me to get up.

« This is the bathroom, this is the living room, this is the kitchen, this is my room and that is all. » He said really fast and pointing in different directions.

« You haven't showed me anything. » I deplored.

« That's because I don't want to. » He said.

« Why did you agree? » I asked.

« Because I don't want Mi- I mean my mom- to be fucking mad at me. » He said stuttering.

« You know, you could try to be nice. » I said

« I don't fucking want to. I don't want you to be my friend. » He harshly said.

« Why not? » I asked a bit insulted by what he said.

« Would you fucking stop with the fucking questions? Just leave me the fuck alone. » He spat.

« I'm just trying to be nice. » I said. He definitely has anger issues.

« I don't fucking care. I don't want you around me. » He said and he walked out.

He walked towards the entrance and left the house.

I walked back to the kitchen and sat down.

The room was really quiet.

Did they hear us argue?

« Where's Austin? » Mimi asked.

« I don't know. He stormed off. » I said. « I think he left the house. »

Mimi leaned towards her husband.

« Pourquoi est-ce qu'il s'entête à s'enfuir. Ça me brise le cœur à chaque fois. Penses-tu qu'il va s'en sortir un jour? » (Why does he keep running away? It breaks my heart everytime. Do you think he'll get through it someday?) She said, but I couldn't understand what it meant. It looks like she was about to cry. She excused herself and left the room.

The silence in the room was really uncomfortable.

« Did I mention this dish was delicious? » I asked looking at Mike.

« Thank you Ally. » He said.

We finished eating and I helped with the dishes. When we were done, we decided it was time for us to leave.

Just as I was passing through the door, somebody grabbed my shoulders.

« Ally, I would like to talk to you in private. » Mimi said.

« Okay. » I responded.

She led me to the living room and we sat down on the couch. Her eyes were still glassy. I feel so sorry for her.

« Don't take personal what Austin says. » She said.

« What? » I asked.

« He's been through a lot of things and he's really troubled. He's not really mean, but he doesn't really like people either. He doesn't like to interact with people. » She said.

I kept quiet and continued to listen to her.

« I know he's the kind to get in trouble. » She said. « I wanted to ask you a favor. » She said. « Could you please keep an eye on him at school? I feel like things are worse these days and I don't want him to do anything stupid. »

« Yes, sure Mrs. Moon » I responded.

« Thank you. » She said.

I left their house to go back to mine.

She said he's been through a lot. I wanted to ask her more about this, but she looked too emotional. What happened to him? Why is he so troubled?

I left their house with even more questions.

I walked to my room and prepared my things for tomorrow.

I ended playing guitar sitting on my bed. I forgot to mention that I play many instruments and that I can actually write songs.

I like to randomly strum on my guitar though.

I kept replaying Mimi's words in my mind.

Then, I kept seeing Austin in the towel. That was hot. That was fucking hot.

I was lost in my mind when I realized it was already ten o'clock. I needed to go to sleep.

* * *

1:32 a.m.

I can't sleep.

I got up and opened the door to my balcony. I sat on the chair that was there and looked at the St-Lawrence River. It's beautiful.

I realized it was a full moon. Some say the full moon changes your mood and that's why you cannot sleep. I looked around and I ended up observing Mimi and Mike's house.

The moon was so bright; I could almost see all of its details.

Then I saw a dark figure in their backyard. I stood up and put my hands on the railings. I tried to see what was there.

I could only see a figure. It was definitely someone. The person was sitting on the grass with their knees to their chest. The person was hugging their knees.

Then the person moved.

It was _him_.

What was he doing outside at this time?

Wait, was he crying?

I concentrated on hearing and I did heard sobs coming from his way.

Oh Austin, what has life thrown at you?

I felt really bad for him.

I really wanted to go there and comfort him, but I knew he's push away. Anyway, we don't even know each other. I don't know why I'm so drawn to him.

I decided to go back inside and I tried to sleep.

* * *

I fell asleep at four a.m. and I had to get up at seven. I barely slept three hours. I don't even know if I'll be able to stay awake in class today.

I did my usual morning routine until I ended up at school.

I walked in and I yawned. Then, I hit something hard. Someone actually.

« I'm so sorry. » I said as I looked at whom I ran into.

« Whatever. » he said. I knew who that voice belonged to.

« You look tired. » I said. « Where did you run off to last night? » I asked.

Then, out of surprise, he pinned me against the lockers and I couldn't see anyone around.

« Don't you dare fucking talk to anyone about last night. » He said in a stern tone.

I gulped.

« I just wanted to make sure you were okay. » I whispered.

« I don't fucking care. I'm pretty sure she told you everything when I left. Don't you dare speak to anybody about that. » He said.

« About what? » I asked.

« About what I fucking lived through. » He said.

« She didn't say anything. She didn't want to. » I said.

« You're fucking lying. » He said.

« I'm not. I promise. » I said.

« Whatever. » He said.

He freed me from the locker and I was able to properly breathe again.

He was slowly walking away and I still couldn't see anyone in the hallway.

« You made her cry, you know. » I said.

He stopped walking and turned around.

« Who? » He asked.

« Your mom. » I said.

« Osti de câlice de tabarnak. » He mumbled under his breath. I believe he was swearing in French.

He turned around and walked away faster. He wasn't heading for class. He headed outside.

When those words left my mouth, I could see a hint of sadness in her eyes. For a second, I felt like he cared about his mom, but anger quickly filled his eyes again.

I walked to the cafeteria and just sat down. I was shaking.

What happened to him must have been really important.

He did scare me back there. I know he has anger issues. Has he ever hurt anyone? Would he hurt me?

I would ask Trish and Dez, but they would only tell me about the rumors they heard.

« Earth to Ally. » I heard someone say and I snapped out of my thoughts.

« Are you okay? » Trish asked looking concerned.

« Yeah. I'm fine. » I said.

« You don't look fine. » She said.

« Don't worry about it. » I said. « It's nothing bad. I don't want to talk about it. »

« Okay. » She said.

« So how did your dinner go last night? » She asked.

« It was fine. Just the platonic reunion between two neighbors. » I said. I know I was lying, but I didn't want her to know about Austin living next door. She would tease me or ask me to spy on him.

« Sounds great. » She sarcastically said.

« So, have you seen the asshole today? » She asked. Why is she being so nosy?

« I haven't actually. I thought he'd be there. » I said pointing to the area he was sitting at yesterday morning.

« He skips classes a lot you know. He's not a good student. » She said.

« Stop trying to dissuade me from trying to get to know him. » I said. « You know I won't change my mind. » I said joking.0

« I know. » She said. « What do you see in that guy? » She asked.

« I think this whole thing is just a façade. I think there's a sweet caring guy behind that mask. I think he just doesn't want to get involved with people. I don't know why though. » I explained to her.

« He's never shown that side of him before, because it doesn't exist. Don't you see the way he treats people? He's a complete asshole. He tells everyone to fuck off. You're delusional Ally. He's just trouble. » She said.

« No, he's not. People that are acting that way have a reason to. Maybe if people didn't treat him like shit, he would treat them better. » I said and I walked away.

Before I could walk to my next class, someone grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the nearest supply closet.

« What- » I started to say, but I was cut off by a hand on my mouth.

The bell rang. The person didn't let go of me.

« Am I your only fucking subject of conversation? » He whispered-yelled.

« Austin. » I whispered.

« What do you keep talking to your dumb friends about me? » He asked in a low voice.

« Why do you care? » I asked.

« Because everyone keeps making stuff up about me and I'm fucking tired of it. » He said in a mad tone.

« We weren't making stuff up. » I defended. « Wait, were you spying on me? » I asked.

« What? » He said in a high pitch.

« You were. » I exclaimed.

« Fine, I was, but just because I don't trust you and especially the Latina girl. » He said.

« I told you. Your mom didn't tell me anything. She was too emotional to say anything. » I said. « She really cares about you Austin. »

« I know. From now on, stay away from me or my house. » He said.

« That's going to be hard. I live next door. » I said joking.

« I don't fucking care. I don't want you interfering in my life. » He seriously said.

« I just want to help you. » I said.

« I don't want your fucking help. I can take care of myself. I want you to leave me the fuck alone. »

« Fine, but I know deep down that you're a nice guy. You're just afraid to show your real self. » I said.

« Ça ne pourrait pas être plus vrai. » (It couldn't be more true.) He mumbled under his breath, but I still heard him. I need to get better at French.

He opened the door and walked out. I followed him only for us to be stopped by the principal himself.

« Both of you, in my office, now. » He said. I was petrified. The principal looked furious. I've never gone to the principal office.

* * *

 **I'm so happy that you guys are enjoying this story. I love writing it. I have so many ideas. I've never been this inspired for a story before. Thank you so much for all of the nice reviews, for reading, for following and for favoriting. It does mean a lot to me.**

 **As you might have noticed, I've decided to update ever two days. It might come down to every three days when I start school again (January 25** **th** **). I'll notify you guys about that though.**

 **I'm so excited about the next two chapters. I had a lot of fun writing them and I think you guys are going to enjoy reading them. They're my favorite chapters so far.**

 **PS: There's a clue in this chapter about a part of Austin's past. Can you spot it?**


	4. Detention

**Chapter 4  
Detention**

* * *

 **I decided to be nice and update tonight instead of tomorrow. The next update is going to be on Sunday though.**

* * *

I'm shaking right now. I've never had detention before. I don't want to be seen as a bad student. I don't want it to affect my college applications. Oh my god, what if college don't want a student who had detention in high school?

I'm sitting in the principal's office besides Austin. He looks calm and collected, like he didn't even care about what was going on.

Everyone keeps telling me he's a trouble maker. He's probably used to it.

The room is dead silent.

I can hear the clock ticking.

The principal is looking at both of us in disappointment. He was sitting in a big chair that looked really comfy and we were sitting on a wooden chair that wasn't really comfortable.

I feel like crying right now.

« What am I going to do with you? » The principal asked.

« Please. I'm sorry. It won't happen again. » I said panicking.

« I must say I'm a bit disappointed in you Ally. I heard you were an excellent student, but you got in trouble the first week of school. » He said.

« I'm so so so sorry. I promise it won't happen again. » I said.

« And you M. Moon. I thought you had your lesson last year. » He said.

Austin kept quiet.

« I thought after being expelled for a couple of weeks, you would put yourself together. Actually, I thought after five years you would learn how to respect people. I thought you would be able to manage your life. » He said.

« Stop it. » Austin said angrily. « You don't get to tell me how I'm supposed to manage my life. »

He got up and left the office. Just like that.

« I'm so sorry about him. » I said.

« Don't apologize for him. He's been like that ever since he joined this school. » He said.

« Now, you both have detention tonight. » The principal said as he gave me the pink detention slip. « Please give the other to Austin and tell him that I'll multiply his detention if he skips it. »

I took the two papers from his hand and walked to class.

What have I gotten myself into?

* * *

I opened the door to the class I'm supposed to be into and showed the teacher that the principal is okay with me being late. I walked up to the only empty seat and sat there. It was obviously besides Trish.

« Where were you? » She whispered.

« In the principal's office. » I responded whispering.

« Why? » She asked.

« I'll tell you at the break. It's a long story. » I said to her.

« Are you in trouble? » She asked.

« Kind of. » I said.

« Madame Dawson et Madame de la Rosa, j'aimerais que vous arrêtiez de parler. » (Ms. Dawson and Ms. de la Rosa, I would like for you to stop talking.) The teacher said to us. Hey, I actually understood what that meant.

The rest of the class went on pretty quick. The next thing I knew, I was sitting in the cafeteria with Trish and Dez.

« So, what happened? » Trish asked me.

« Austin happened. » I said.

« I told you he was trouble. » Trish said.

« Let me explain. We were arguing, because he wants me to stop talking to him and he took me into a supply closet to tell me off. » I said.

« OMG, did he rape you? » Trish asked. « Are you okay? »

« This is absurd. He didn't do anything wrong. He just told me off and we got late to class. The principal caught us and now we have detention tonight. » I explained. « You're over dramatic. »

« I'm sorry, but he doesn't have a good reputation. I've been told he's done things like that before. » She said.

« I told you. I'm sure those rumors aren't true. » I said.

« Why? » She asked. « Do you know something we don't? » Dez asked.

« No. I have faith. Besides, as far as I can see, he doesn't like anyone to get close to him. »

« How can you tell? You only see him at school. » She said and I looked away remembering last night and his dripping hair.

« Why did you look away? You saw him outside of school? » She asked.

« No. I mean yes. I mean, he's my neighbor. » I said.

« What? And you didn't tell us! » She exclaimed.

« What's the big deal? » I asked. « I'm tired of having that argument with you. » I said and I walked away. Can't she just let me be? I want to get to him. I want to know the boy behind the mask.

* * *

That was it. The moment I never thought I'd live in my life. Detention.

Since it was only the first week of school, there were only Austin and me in the classroom. He did come after all. I gave him the detention slip this morning and he didn't look like he cared. Here's what happened:

 _I was walking through the hallway when I saw him walking in the opposite direction._

 _« Austin. » I said. He didn't look at me. I stopped right in front of him, so he would have to stop walking._

 _« The principal told me to give you this. » I said as I showed him the pink paper._

 _He took it from my hand._

 _« He also told me that if you skip it, he'll multiply the detentions. » I said._

 _He walked away without saying a word._

We were sitting in the opposite sides of the room. I got here before him and sat as far from me as possible.

Is he that scared of me? Or of people in general?

The teacher decided that our detention period would be spent cleaning the room we were in. He was actually explaining what we had to do right now.

We had to sweep the floor, to clean every desk's surface, clean the black board, mop the floor, etc.

« I'll leave you guys to it, but I'll check in every fifteen minutes, so you better not leave. » He said.

Then, the teacher got up and left the classroom.

« Let's get this over with. » Austin said to me.

« Did you just talk to me? » I asked to annoy him.

« Don't get used to it. I just want you to clean so we can fucking leave. » He said.

« You know, you don't have to fucking cuss all the fucking time. » I said to annoy him even more.

« Just shut up. » He said.

I didn't say another word and grabbed a sponge and a bucket filled with water and soap to wash the board. I carefully washed the black surface making sure I didn't leave any marks. There was one problem though. I'm rather small and I cannot reach the top. Even on my tippy toes I cannot reach the top. I decided to jump to reach the top. It worked a couple of times, so I continued.

I heard a laugh.

« Are you laughing at me? » I asked now facing Austin.

« You're so small. You're like a little kid trying to reach the height for a ride at the carnival. » He said still laughing.

« I'm not small. » I defended.

« Says the girl who can't even reach the top of the black board with her hands. » He said.

« It's abnormally high for a black board. » I said.

« Whatever. » He said.

« Wow. You said three sentences without cussing. Should I applaud you? » I asked.

« You're such an annoying brat. » He said.

I continued washing the board by jumping, but the sponge kind of fell off my hand and kind of fell on my head.

Water mixed with chalk and soap was now dripping on my face.

« You know, you're quite entertaining. You're so fucking clumsy. » He said.

« Laugh all you want. » I said a bit mad. This is disgusting.

I started to wash the desks and waited for him to turn around so he wouldn't see me.

When he did, I took a sponge soaked with water and soap and squeezed it over his head.

« What the fuck Ally? » He asked angrily.

« You shouldn't have laughed at me. » I said to him. « Wait, you actually know my name! Should I be flattered? » I asked sarcastically.

« How can I not know your name? You're the only one that actually talks to me. » He said looking at me. What did that mean? Is he glad I'm talking to him or is he annoyed by me talking to him? Probably the latter.

« Aww, that means I'm special to you. » I said using a baby voice.

« No, it means you're the only who didn't understand that I fucking hate talking to fucking people. » He said.

« But you're talking to me now. » I said and I driving him mad and it was way too much fun.

« Whatever. » He responded and continued washing the desk with water dripping from his hair. It reminded me of the towel incident.

I continued washing the desk.

« You know, you looked very sexy in that towel. » I said not looking away from the desk.

« What? » He asked confused.

« Last night, before you left the house. » I said looking at him.

« You liked what you saw. Didn't you? » He asked and I swear his cheeks were a bit more pink. Did he just blush?

« I cannot say I didn't. » I said truthfully.

« Hold on to that image, because that was the first and last time you saw me like that. » He said.

« Why? » I asked.

« Because you're supposed to fucking stay away from me. » He said.

« Like that's gonna stop me. » I said.

« You're such a pain in the ass. » He said.

« But you love me anyway. » I said.

« Love you? » He said shocked. « I can't fucking stand you. You only bring me trouble. »

« Says the guy who got both of us detention. » I said.

« Did I ever tell you that you are fucking annoying? » He asked.

« I think you've told me once or twice. » I joked.

I just realized that we are having a conversation. It's not exactly a pleasant conversation, but he's talking and I even saw him smile a couple of times. It was mostly because he was laughing at me, but that's a start.

It wasn't long until detention was over. Austin and I didn't really spoke after our little argument.

« Okay guys, you did a good job. You're dismissed. » The teacher said and we left.

We started walking in the hallway and Austin was in front of me.

« Aren't you going to say bye? » I asked.

« No. » He said.

We continued to walk and I realized something. How will I get home? I don't think my mom was aware that I got detention, so she doesn't know I need a lift home.

I did see Austin walk towards a car though. He has his licence?

« Austin. » I said.

« What? » He dryly said turning to face me.

« I-I don't have a lift home can- » I started to say, but he cut me off.

« I'm not going home. » He said.

« Can't you like drop me on your way? » I asked.

« No. » He said again.

« Why not? » He asked.

« Because I'm not going that way and I don't want you to think you're my friend now, because you're not. » He said to me.

« Can't you be nice? » I asked.

« Since when am I nice? You told me I wasn't nice. » He said. « Bye. »

He closed the door and locked the doors to his car. I guess I'll call my mom then.

What an ass.

I can't get the image of him smiling out of my mind though.

I knew a smile would look better than a frown.

* * *

 **Hey guys, I wanted to thank you for reading this story. I also wanted to thank you for the kind reviews so far. I love seeing that my work is appreciated. Although, if you have constructive criticism to tell me, go for it. I'm really opened and I love to know you guys' point of view. Thanks for favoriting and following.**

 **I think this chapter was my favorite one to write, but the next chapter is a close second. Here is a sneak peek of the next chapter:**

 ** _« Maybe I lied. » He (Austin) said smirking._**

 ** _« Why? » I (Ally) asked._**

 ** _« A little payback for the sponge incident. » He (Austin) said._**

 ** _« Son of a bitch. » I (Ally) said._**


	5. Game On

**Chapter 5  
Game On**

* * *

I took my phone out of my pockets and dialed home.

« Hey mom. » I said. I'm in so much trouble.

« Ally, where are you? I'm really worried. » She said to me.

« I'm still at school. I got detention. » I said.

« What? » She asked.

« I know. I know. It's not like me. » I said to her.

« What did you do? » She asked. I knew this question was coming.

« I arrived late to class. » I said to her.

« Just for that? » She asked.

« Yeah. » I said. I didn't want to tell her about the part where Austin dragged me into a supply closet and then we got caught coming out of it. She would think we were having an intercourse or something. I did not want her to freak out.

« Could you please come and get me at school? » I asked.

« Yes, sure, no problem. » She said.

« See you then. » I said and hung up.

I sat down on the stairs on front of the school and waited for my mom to arrive.

« Hi. » I heard a voice say.

I turned around and I saw a girl about my age approaching me.

« Hi. » I greeted her.

« I'm Kira. » She said.

« I'm Ally. » I said.

« I just wanted to know if you were okay. » She said almost looking concerned.

« I'm fine, why? » I asked.

« Well, I heard rumors that Moon molested you. » She said.

« Way to be direct. » I said. « Where did you hear that? » I asked.

« It's pretty much all over the school now. Brooke saw him drag you into the supply closet before first period. » She explained. What? « Did he do anything disrespectful to you? »

« No. » I shouted. « Why does everyone think he's that kind of guy? » I asked. « He didn't do anything wrong and I'm sure he's never done that before. We were just arguing. » I said.

« Don't put too much faith in him. You'll be disappointed. » She said.

« Why does everyone keep saying that? » I asked.

« It might be because it's true. » She said.

I looked away and I'm pretty sure smoke was coming out of my ears like in cartoons. He's not a pervert and he's not an asshole. I do have faith in him. I don't know why, but I do.

Kira walked away and I was alone again.

I wish Austin would've taken me home. Why did he refuse like that? I thought things were okay when we were in detention, but once we got out, he completely ignored me. What's wrong with him? It's like he wants to be my friend, but something in his head tells him not to. He was warming up to me. Well, I think. And then he was a cold asshole again.

I felt my phone buzz in my hand.

 _How was detention with blondie?_

It was Trish. Blondie. I like that.

 _Okay I guess._

I responded.

 _Anything interesting happened?_

She asked.

 _Well, I squeezed a sponge filled with water, soap and chalk on his head._

I responded to her.

 _You did what? Why?_

She asked and I'm pretty sure she was really surprised.

 _He was annoying and mocking my height._

I replied to her.

 _How did he react?_

She asked.

 _He was surprised and mad, but he didn't do anything._

I replied to her.

 _Weird._

She replied.

Then, I finally saw my mom arriving. She drove right next to me and I opened the door the get in. Some random song was playing on the radio, but even with music, I could feel something was bothering my mom.

« Hey. » I said to her.

« Hi. » She said dryly.

« Are you okay? » I asked.

« Yeah, I'm just a bit disappointed in you. » She said.

« I promise I won't get another detention. » I said.

« It's not that. » She said as she started rolling again.

« What is it? » I asked.

« You lied to me. » She said.

« What? » I asked.

« The principal called this afternoon to tell me why you had detention and yet you didn't tell me the truth. » She said.

« I'm sorry. I didn't want you panicking. Nothing happened. I promise. We were just arguing and we got late to class. » I said.

« Who were you with? » She asked.

« Austin. » I responded.

« Mimi's son? » She asked.

« Yes. » I said.

« What were you arguing about? » She asked.

« Nothing important. » I answered.

The rest of the ride was really quiet. I just hummed to the song on the radio and sang a couple of times. I can't say I have an amazing voice, but I think I'm pretty decent.

When we got home, I got out of the car and headed for the entrance of the house. Mom still looked a bit mad and she stormed inside.

That's when I heard a masculine voice.

« You found a ride after all Shortie? » It was asking. Austin.

« I thought you weren't coming home. » I said from across our houses.

« Maybe I lied. » He said smirking.

« Why? » I asked.

« A little payback for the sponge incident. » He said.

« Son of a bitch. » I said.

« Now Ally, you don't want to cuss all the time, do you? » He asked to annoy me.

« You'll wish you didn't do that Blondie. » I said.

« Was that a threat? » He asked me.

« It was. » I confidently said.

« I'm not scared of you. » He said.

« You should be Blondie. » I said.

« Whatever Shortie. » He said.

Then, he opened the door to his house and disappeared.

It is so on.

He wants to annoy me, then I'll annoy him. I've been pretty good at that so far.

It means he's warming up to me. I might not be his best friend, but at least he's talking to me. He might not show any respect, but he's talking to me. That's a start.

* * *

I entered my house and ate dinner. I was starving. I didn't plan on staying an hour more at school.

I quickly ate mac n cheese and went to take a shower. I was still covered in disgusting water from the sponge that fell on my head.

I need to plan my next move. I need to be smarter than him.

Once I was done with the shower, I remembered what I saw last night.

He was crying. It wasn't just tears. He was sobbing.

Something big and scarring must've happened to him or not. Maybe he's just really sensible? Who am I kidding? He insults me without really caring. Something definitely happened to him. He told me himself.

I decided that it was best for me to get a good night of sleep. I was really tired anyway. I didn't sleep really well last night and I need all my energy to plan my revenge. Maybe I can ask Trish for help? She seems really good at revenge. On the other hand, she might take this too far since she believes all of those crazy rumors.

* * *

I arrived at school like I usually do and waited for Trish and Dez in the cafeteria. It was our chilling spot between classes and before the first class in the morning.

I don't know why, but I felt really happy today, more than I usually do.

« Hey stranger. » I heard my Latina friend say.

« Oh, hey Trish. » I said with a smile.

« I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to. » She said to me.

« Thanks Trish. » I said.

« Why are you so interested in him though? » She asked me.

« I don't know actually. I just am. I feel like there's more to him. I saw it during detention yesterday. » I said.

« What do you mean? » She asked.

« I saw him laugh and smile. It felt like maybe he was actually enjoying himself just a bit. » I said.

« Wait, he smiled and laughed? » Trish repeated looking shocked.

« It's no big deal. » I said.

« It is actually. » She said.

« Why? » I asked.

« No one in this school has seen him do that. Maybe a small smile now and then when something funny happened, but nothing ever makes him laugh. » Trish explained.

« He wasn't laughing because he was having a lot of fun. He was laughing at me. He was laughing of my clumsiness. » I responded to Trish.

« It's still laughing though. » She said.

« Don't give her hope Latina girl. She fucking thinks she's becoming my friend when she clearly isn't. » I heard none other than Austin Moon say as he walked up to us.

« I have a name you know. » Trish defended.

« I'm not gonna bother learning it. » He said and she looked pissed.

« What do you want Austin? » I dryly asked.

« To annoy you. » He said smirking.

« Actually, I'm quite touched that you are talking to me. » I responded putting a hand on my heart.

He almost looked speechless.

« That backfired quickly, didn't it? » I rhetorically asked. He frowned.

« Just leave me the fuck alone. » He said.

« I would, but you're the one who walked up to me. » I said to him smirking. This is fun.

« Whatever Shortie. » He said.

« You seem to say that a lot Blondie, maybe you should consider expanding your vocabulary. » I said to make him mad.

« Fuck you Shortie. » He said and he walked away. One point for me.

« By the way, revenge is going to be sweet. » I shouted at him, but he didn't turn around.

Trish looked at me with wide eyes.

« What? » I asked.

« What was that all about? » She asked. « Why revenge? »

« I asked him to give me a lift last night after detention because he lives next door and he refused saying he wasn't going home. I had to call my mom for a ride. When I got home, he was sitting on the porch of his house. He said he refused to give me a ride because I squeezed that sponge over his head. Now, I want to get revenge. I just don't know how. » I explained.

« You've come to the right person. » She said.

« Actually, I'm not sure I want you to help me plan my revenge. » I said.

« Why not? » She asked offended.

« I don't want him to profoundly hate me. » I said. « I just want to annoy him. »

« Well, I can still help with that. »

* * *

« How about we get a dog with rabies into his room? » She asked.

« No. I don't want him to end up in the hospital. » I said.

Trish and I have been trying to find a perfect revenge for the last hour. She's currently at my house and we are alone. Mom and dad are at the store.

« How about we humiliate him in front of the whole school? » She asked.

« No. I told you, I don't want him to detest me and I think all the rumors that are spreading are doing that job. » I said.

« You're boring. You know that? » She said.

« Honey, we're home. » I heard someone shout from downstairs.

Trish and I walked downstairs to greet them.

We talked a bit about school and about their day at work.

« By the way honey, the Moons are coming over Friday night for dinner. » My mom said.

« All of them? » I asked.

« Yes, Mimi, Mike and Austin. » She responded.

Trish and I looked at each other and started to smile.

« What's going on? » My mom asked.

« Nothing. » We both said at the same time.

I am going to embarrass him at that dinner right in front of his parents.

* * *

Trish left about an hour ago and I was sitting on the grass in my backyard. I like the feel the cool breeze on my face before going to sleep.

« Hey Shortie. » I heard from besides me.

« Austin, what are you doing here? » I asked a lot surprised.

« I'm hunting a unicorn. » He said. « I've been following it for half an hour. »

« Right. » I said « Why are you here? » I asked.

« I, huh, wanted to thank you. » He stuttered looking uncomfortable.

« For what? » I asked confused.

« For clearing up the rumors with Kira. » He said.

« How do you know about that? » I asked.

« It's all over the school. » He said.

« Well, then, you are welcome. » I said to him.

« Don't get the idea that I like you though. » He said.

« I know you don't like me. You love me. » I said and his facial expression radically changed.

« I told you I can't fucking stand you. » He said.

« Keep telling yourself that. » I said.

« Whatevs. » He said. « See I changed my vocabulary. » He said.

« Actually, you just shortened the word, so that doesn't count. » I said.

« Says who? » He asked.

« Says me. » I said.

He proceeded to walk to his house and he disappeared in obscurity.

I think he's warming up to me.

Well, I hope.

He's just so frustrating. One minute I feel like we might be able to build a friendship and the other I feel like he wants to kill me. Literally.

* * *

 **Alright, here was another chapter to The Boy Behind the Mask. I'm still trying to plan the whole story. I have planned the main events, but I still need to figure out in what order they'll be happening. It's not going to be all happy and stuff and it's rated T for a reason... Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and will keep on reading.**

 **Also, try not to cry too much tonight. It's going to be an emotional evening even though I can't Watch it tonight.**

 **Thank you so much for the reviews.**

 **By the way, don't be afraid to leave your comments on the story or constructive criticism. I only take it as a way to make the story better.**

 **Here is next chapter's sneak peek (I'll update on Tuesday) :**

« Her name is Cassidy Jones. Perfect blond hair, blue eyes, porcelain skin… » Dez started to say.

« How is that a shocker? » I asked.

« She has never talked to him before. She thought of him as a loser. » Trish asked.

« So? » I asked.

« No girl has ever tried to get close to him before, because he acted like a loner and told everyone to leave him alone. Something has changed and I bet it's because of you. » She explained.


	6. Cassidy

**Chapter 6  
Cassidy**

* * *

Alright. I can't wait for tonight. I've decided that I'm going to embarrass him in front of his parents.

His parents might not like this though.

I'm going to explain how Austin is a nice guy and can't leave me alone. I'm going to tell them how I think he really likes me and etc. Therefore, Austin will have two options. Telling his parents the truth and disappoint them or lying to them. There is a third option, but I don't think it will ever be possible. He could just become my friend. He would neither have to lie to his parent nor disappoint them. I secretly hope he would choose that option, but I don't think it's possible.

Maybe I'm a bitch, but he started it. Actually, I might have started it. I don't know. I think he started it by laughing at me, but I might have started it when I squeezed that sponge over his head, but he definitely wants to play this game and so do I.

I was in English class with Trish, Dez and Austin. I was sitting beside Trish and Dez and Austin was sitting as far from me as he could. Is he scared of me? That thought made me laugh in my head.

The teacher was rambling about Shakespeare and the plays he wrote. It was interesting, it really was, but my mind was set on Friday night. I can't wait to see Austin's reaction.

* * *

« So my mom decided that I was grounded for lying to her. » I said to Trish.

« All because of that jerk. » Trish spat.

« I know, but at least I get to have revenge Friday night. » I said mischievously.

« I wish I could be there. » Trish said.

« I don't think my mom would appreciate that. » I responded to her.

« I know, but you've got to call me to tell me everything. » She said.

« Don't worry about it. » I said.

« What are you girls talking about? » Dez asked as he sat down with us.

« Nothing special. » I said. I don't want him to know about the plan. He might open his mouth and then Austin would know. I don't want him too. I want it to be a surprise. An unpleasant surprise.

« Okay. » He said. « You'll never believe what I just saw! » Dez exclaimed.

« What? » Trish and I asked at the same time.

« I saw the prettiest girl in school talking to Austin and he blew her off. » Dez said. Trish gasped.

« Is that a surprise? » I asked. « Let's face it, Austin is attractive. »

« Do you know who the prettiest girl in school is? » Trish asked.

« That Trish, is different under every one's eyes. » I said.

« No time to be philosophical Ally. » Trish said.

« Her name is Cassidy Jones. Perfect blond hair, blue eyes, porcelain skin… » Dez started to say.

« How is that a shocker? » I asked.

« She has never talked to him before. She thought of him as a loser. » Trish asked.

« So? » I asked.

« No girl has ever tried to get close to him before, because he acted like a loner and told everyone to leave him alone. Something has changed and I bet it's because of you. » She explained.

« How? » I asked.

« Because of yesterday. » Dez said.

« You told Kira that Austin never hurt you and that you were just arguing in that closet. I can feel it. People are becoming less scared of him, because you are not scared of him. » Trish continued.

« He still told her off. » I said.

« Yes, but that means people, especially girls, are going to try to get closer to him now that they've seen he's not that bad of a guy. » Trish said.

« Isn't that a good thing? » I asked while I felt my heart tighten. I don't know why. It's not like I have feelings for him, he's so annoying.

« No, because every girl will try to take him away from you. » Trish said as I took a sip from my water bottle, but I choked on it and spit it over her.

« Ewwwwww. » She screamed.

« Nice one Shortie. » I heard _him_ say from behind me.

I didn't bother turning around and I heard him walk away anyway.

« He's such a jerk. » Trish said trying to clean the water on her.

« I'm so sorry Trish. » I said.

« It's fine. » She said. « I didn't expect you to have that reaction though. You must really like him. »

« What? Like him? I like to annoy him. » I said.

« I think you guys like to flirt. » Dez responded.

« No we don't. » I said sounding a bit too defensive. We don't like to flirt. Until yesterday, he didn't even want to talk to me. Until yesterday, we never had a proper conversation. We still haven't had a proper conversation. We just keep insulting each other.

« If you say so. » Dez said.

« I'm tired of talking about him. Can we talk about something else? » I asked.

« Sure. »

* * *

The day has been going pretty smoothly since my conversation with Trish and Dez this morning. Trish's words keep echoing in my mind _something has changed and I bet it's because of you_. I still don't understand what she meant by that. Actually, a part of me wants to believe that I'm changing him for the better, but the other part of me is telling me I am being ridiculous since I've only known him for about a week and I've pretty much only insulted him.

I don't understand how Trish and Dez both think Austin and I like to flirt. He's treating me like dirt and he keeps telling me he can't stand me. I don't think that's flirting. I just want to solve the mystery behind his attitude.

I am known for a genuinely nice person and I really want to help him. I've seen the look of despair in his eyes the other night when he was crying in the backyard. He might not realize it, but he needs help. I'm sure of it. Mimi said it herself. He's troubled.

I was sitting alone in the library minding my own business when I felt someone sit beside me.

I didn't look up and continued to read my book. I love to read. I was reading Flowers for Algernon. That book is so amazing. I know most people think it's boring, but it's such a master piece.

« Hi. » I heard a feminine voice say.

« Hi. » I said as I turned around to see a pretty blonde girl with blue eye. Wait, is this Cassidy?

« I'm Cassidy. » She said a bit too peppy for me. I don't like peppy people. They are just so annoying.

« I'm Ally. » I said to her.

« You're new here, right? » She asked.

« Yeah, I'm from Miami. » I responded.

« Cool. » She said. Why is she here? What does she want?

« So, I've seen you talk to Moon a couple of times… » She started to say.

Why is every conversation in this school about Austin? Can't people talk about something else?

« So? » I asked maybe a bit too dryly. « Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. »

« It's okay. I just wanted to know how you got him to talk to you. » She told me.

« I didn't do anything special, besides, it's not like he's my friend. » I said.

« No, but you're the only one he talks to. » She said. « I want him to talk to me. »

« I do not mean to be rude, but why are you interested in him now? I heard you never spoke to him before today even if you've been going to the same school for five years. » I asked.

« That, Ally, is none of your business. » She said and she looked away.

« Oh, I get it. You thought no girl could make him talk and now that I have, you want him. Are you jealous by any chance? » I asked raising an eyebrow.

« I'm definitely not jealous. Okay, maybe. I've always had a crush on him. He's so mysterious and hot. I've never talked to him because I was scared. He only pushes people away and he pushed me away this morning. But now that I've seen that he has started to talk to people, I want to take my chance. I want to go on a date with him. » She admitted to me.

« I'd love to help you Cassidy, but I have no idea how to make him talk. He only talks to me to insult me. » I said to her and she definitely wasn't pleased with my answer.

« I knew you wouldn't help me. You just want him for yourself. » She spat. She turned her heels and walked away.

Okay, I agree with Dez, she is the prettiest girl in school. Her skin is just like porcelain. It's perfect. Her hair is the perfect shade of blonde. Her eyes are the deepest blue. She's tall, but not too much. She knows how to dress elegant, yet appropriate for school.

She seems so perfect. I hate her.

* * *

I was walking in the hallway to reach my locker to get my stuff for the third period of the day. I had a class where neither Trish, Dez nor Austin was in. It was going to be a really boring period.

As I walked towards my locker, I saw a familiar mop of blond hair and the most perfect hair in school standing right next to it. _She_ was with _him_.

Why did it bother me so much?

I stood behind a wall and tried to listen to what they were talking about. I know, I shouldn't spy on them, but I couldn't help myself.

« Why not? » I heard Cassidy say.

« I don't like you. » He said. I laughed.

« Come on, give me a chance. » She pleaded.

« No. » He said.

« Please Austin. » She asked. Why is she so desperate?

« Leave me the fuck alone Cassidy. » He said to her. Glad to see he doesn't only swear around me.

« No. We're the perfect match. You're hot and I'm hot. We should be together. » She said.

« So you think a relationship is based on appearances? » He asked raising an eyebrow. I would've said the same thing.

« Kind of. » She responded.

« It's not. People should be in a relationship because they have common interests or get along really well. » He explained. I'm kind of jealous now. I've never had a conversation like that with him before.

« Exactly. » She said. Austin rolled his eyes.

« I can't stand you, so I don't want to be in a relationship with you. » He said.

She finally walked away from him and she looked kind of hurt.

« Please leave me alone Shortie. » He said and I jumped.

« How did you know I was there? » I asked guiltily.

« Come on, hiding half of your face behind a wall? » He asked. « You really thought I wouldn't see you? » He asked.

« Actually, I did. » I said.

« Why can't you leave me alone? Now, people are thinking they can fucking talk to me because you won't leave me alone. » He dryly said.

« Isn't that a good thing? » I asked.

« No. I don't want people talking to me. » He said.

« Why not? » I asked confused. Isn't socializing a good thing? I might not have a lot of friends, but it makes me feel better to talk to them.

« I just don't, okay? » He asked.

« You know, having a friend can be a good thing. Friends are there to help you when everything is falling apart. » I said to him.

« I don't need a friend now. Things have fallen apart years ago. » He said and his eyes widened as if he said something he wasn't supposed to say.

What did he mean?

I opened my mouth to say something, but he turned around and walked away before I could say anything.

 _Things have fallen apart years ago_? What happened to him? Why is he still bitter about it? I. Need. To. Solve. That. Mystery.

* * *

School has ended about half an hour ago and I was in my room getting ready for the dinner with the Moons. I decided to wear something comfy yet not brand new. I feel like it might be ruined tonight. I don't know how Austin will react to my plan. Maybe he won't even care or maybe he'll get revenge right away.

I applied a bit of makeup on and accessorized a bit. I did want to look good in front of Mimi and Mike.

I was now pacing in my room.

« Ally, are you okay? » My mom asked as she walked into my room.

« Yeah, I'm totally fine. » I said.

She then examined me from head to toe.

« You could've put on something prettier than this. This is old. » She said.

« But I really like this outfit mom. » I whined. Okay, more like I lied. I liked that outfit, but I've grown tired of it.

It's a simple red dress that fits my body perfectly. You can see it's been worn a lot though.

I think I look pretty in it though. Not like _Cassidy pretty_ , but pretty. Wait, what did I just think? Who cares about Cassidy?

Then, I heard someone ring the doorbell.

Let the games begin.

* * *

 **Okay, here was another chapter of this story. I hope you enjoyed it. It is sort of a filler, but Cassidy is going to be important later on in the story. I wanted to introduce her now. Next chapter is going to be the dinner between the Dawsons and the Moons.**

 **Why do you think Austin doesn't want friend? I'd love to hear your theories about his past!**

 **Next chapter will be up on Thursday. Here's a sneek peak:**

« What the fuck are you doing? » He (Austin) asked angrily.

« I'm getting the garlic bread out of the oven. » I (Ally) said as if I didn't catch on what he said.

« You know what I'm fucking talking about. » He (Austin) hissed.

« A little payback for the car incident. » I (Ally) mocked him and grinned.


	7. Revenge

**Chapter 7  
Revenge**

* * *

 **I decided to be a nice person and to update tonight instead of tomorrow. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. :D**

* * *

I walked down the stairs and headed for the entrance to greet our guests. I saw my mom opening the door to a smiling Mimi and a bored Mike. I guess he doesn't really like those kinds of reunions.

They both got in and I saw Austin following behind. He looked so happy to be here. Note my sarcasm.

« Mimi, Mike and Austin, come on in. » My mom cheerily said as she motioned for them to get inside.

She gave them a quick tour of the house and then they sat down around the table.

I eyed Austin's every movement. What if he decided to trick me or something?

« It's so nice to be here. » Mimi cheerily said to both of my parents.

« I'm happy you accepted my invitation. I feel like we are all going to become good friends. » My mom said.

Both my dad and Austin's dad kept quiet. It seemed like both of them didn't really like to socialize. Maybe Austin takes that from his dad?

« So Ally, tell me, how's going to school with my son? » Mimi asked me. She just opened the door to my revenge.

« Honestly, going to school with Austin is a blast. He's so fun to be around. He's always making jokes and making people laugh. » I responded with a fake wide smile.

I looked at Austin from the corner of my eye and he looked really confused. Then, his eyes widened. I think he realized what was happening.

« Really? » Mimi asked. « I'm so glad to hear that. Tell me more. » She demanded.

« He really likes to spend time with me. We have almost all of our classes together. We get along great. » I said smiling.

« I like to hear that. It's been a while since people told me Austin looked happy. » She said and Austin's eye widened again. I guess he didn't want her to say that.

He looked at her with daggers in his eyes, but she did not notice.

« Ally, could you please go and get the garlic bread in the kitchen? » My mom asked me.

« Sure mom. » I said and I got up.

« I'll help her. » I heard Austin say. What?

« Isn't he a sweet heart? » I heard my mom asked.

We both walked into the kitchen and we were away from the adults.

« What the fuck are you doing? » He asked angrily.

« I'm getting the garlic bread out of the oven. » I said as if I didn't catch on what he said.

« You know what I'm fucking talking about. » He hissed.

« A little payback for the car incident. » I mocked him and grinned.

« Stop it. Don't give hope to my parents. » He said.

« I'm doing you a favor. Your mom seems so happy about what I said. » I responded to him.

« She's going to be fucking disappointed when she realizes it's not true. » He said.

« Than make it true. » I said and winked.

« No. » He said. « I don't like you and I never will. »

« Fine, then lie to her. » I said.

« Gosh Ally, you're such a pain. Why did you have to come into my life? » He asked.

« That hurts. » I said grabbing my heart. « And to respond to your question, people come into your life when you most need them. »

« You believe that shit? » He asked.

« I do. » I said.

« You're not one of those girls who puts everything on faith, are you? » He asked.

« Maybe. » I responded in all honesty.

« Just, cut it out, okay? » He almost pleaded.

« What? You don't want to disappwoint your pawents? » I asked in a baby voice.

« Would you just shut the fuck up? » He asked angrily.

« Ooooh, I think little Austin doesn't want to disappwoint his pawents. » I repeated.

« You want to play that game Shortie, then I'm in. » He said in an evil way.

« May the odds be ever in your favor. » I said trying to mock Effie's accent.

He laughed.

I swear, he just laughed at a joke I made.

This evening is going to be awesome.

* * *

Austin and I walked back to the table and put two baskets with the garlic bread on it.

« What took you guys so long? » My mom asked and Mimi raised an eyebrow.

« Were you guys making out? » Mimi not so subtly asked.

« What? No. » I defended right away.

« What? You think I would actually kiss her? » Austin asked looking disgusted.

Gee, thanks Austin. Way to destroy my self-esteem.

« I was just joking. You don't have to be so defensive. » Mimi said to both of us.

I kinda blushed at the idea of kissing him though. Wait what? I asked myself. Why do I keep having those weird thoughts about Austin?

« Ally, you don't have to blush like that. Everyone knows you like me. You don't have to hide it » Austin said and my mom looked at me in surprised. Evil brat.

« Well, you're so adorable, sweet and I kind. You show so much respect for everyone. How can I not like you? » I asked batting by eyelashes.

« Isn't this sweet? » My mom asked.

« Ally and Austin would so make the cutest couple ever! » Mimi exclaimed.

« Couple? » We both exclaimed as we stood up from our chairs.

« Come on, it's obvious you two have feelings for each other. » My mom said. I'm sure even your dad noticed it.

As Austin sat down, he knocked off his glass of Pepsi and it all fell on me.

« Austin! » I angrily exclaimed. « You just ruined my dress! » Okay, time to add drama.

« Sorry. » He said and he winked. He did it on purpose. He wanted to get revenge.

« That's my favorite dress and you ruined it. Do you know how much it cost me? » I asked shouting.

My parents' eyes were wide and so were Austin's parents'.

This is hilarious.

I ran upstairs faking being upset.

I think his little game backfired pretty quickly.

I walked to my room and slammed the door.

I fell on my bed from laughing too much.

Austin's face was priceless.

He looked guilty for a second.

I decided to change from my now-drenched dress into skinny jeans and a tank top. I took my dress off and went to my drawers to get my new clothes.

I heard the door knob being turned and the door creak.

« Hey Ally, I'm sorry about your dress. » Austin said to me.

I turned around, but I realized at that moment that I was only wearing a bra and my panties.

Austin froze when he saw me.

« It's okay Austin, I actually do not like that dress that much. » I said. « I was just doing this to make you feel bad. » I said to him, but he was still frozen.

« Austin? Are you okay? » I asked a little worried. « It's not like I'm naked. » I said chuckling.

« I know, but… » He started to say.

« You really like what you see, don't you? » I asked and he blushed. He walked out of my room and he looked traumatized. Another point for me.

I did not plan that though. At least we're even. I saw him wearing only a towel and he saw me only in my undergarment. I think that's fair.

I walked back to the table and excused by behavior. Austin never bothered to look at me. He almost looked uncomfortable. Has he not seen a girl like that before? It's not that big of a deal.

The rest of the dinner went on pretty smoothly. I decided to cut it out and so did Austin. Let's just say it was much more peaceful.

* * *

I was now lying in bed trying to fall asleep. I called Trish earlier to tell her about the dinner. The only part I left out was the part about what happened in my room. She would tease me forever if I told her. She laughed at me because my plan backfired though. She kept scolding me and telling I should've given her the join of planning the revenge.

I couldn't get Austin's face out of my mind when he saw me. He looked shocked and maybe even horrified. One thing is for sure, he looked fucking uncomfortable and it was hilarious.

If the rumors running around school were true, he wouldn't have reacted like that. He would've stared at me and maybe even try to make a move on me.

He didn't. He looked like a scared puppy.

I have started to make up a theory about his hot and cold behavior. I think he's afraid of women for some unknown reason. I think he was traumatized by something concerning women.

I think my plan backfired today. I wanted to embarrass Austin and I ended up embarrassing both of us. I don't think I'll be able to live this down even if I wanted to. Our parents are going to tease us for ever.

* * *

I spent the weekend working at the store working for my parents since I didn't have a lot of homework. I am a good student and I don't procrastinate, so I had a lot of free time during the weekend.

But it's Monday now and I am in French class. It's my last period of the day.

I tried to talk to Austin this morning about last Friday, but he just walked away.

He's been avoiding me all day.

He hasn't shown up in the cafeteria and he always sat as far from me as possible when we were in the same classes, not that he hasn't done this before or anything.

I tried to talk to him at lunch when we crossed path in the hallway, but he ignored me.

What's going on with him?

He usually tells me to fuck off a couple of times a day.

Something's off.

The bell finally rang and I was able to catch up with Trish.

« Have you notice anything weird with Austin today? » I asked her.

« Not really, why? » She asked raising an eyebrow.

« He's been avoiding me. » I explained to her. « He usually tells me to fuck off a couple of times a day. »

« Now that you mention it, he hasn't interrupted any of our conversations today. It is a bit weird. » She said.

« Do you think it's about the dinner? » I asked.

« I don't think so. I mean, he handles those kinds of situations pretty easily normally. » Trish said. « Unless something else happened and you didn't tell me. » She said suspiciously.

« Like what? » I asked.

« Have you guys shared a moment? » She asked.

« What do you mean? » I asked.

« A moment where it's like only the two of you exist in this world. » She exaggerated.

« No, we haven't » I said.

« Then I don't know why he's acting this way. » She said. « Well, I've got to catch my bus. Talk to you later? »

« Yes, of course. » I said and she walked away.

Just as I turned around, I bumped into someone.

« I'm so sorry. » I said.

« Why am I getting a sense of déjà vu? » Austin asked.

« Why are you avoiding me? » I asked.

« Because I don't like you. » He responded without looking at me.

« But you haven't insulted me all day. » I whined.

« You're such an annoying brat. I don't like you and I don't want to talk to you. » He said and he proceeded to walk away.

I grabbed his wrists and forced him to turn around.

« Why aren't you looking at me? » I asked.

I got no response and he tried to get off my grip.

« Wait a minute, are you afraid to look at me in the eyes because of Friday night? » I asked remembering what Trish told me.

« N-no. » He stuttered.

« You're a terrible liar. » I said.

« Leave me the fuck alone. » He said and he managed to free himself.

So, he's embarrassed about Friday?

That's strange.

Especially for a male teenager.

* * *

 **I decided to reply to your reviews for last chapter. Beware, there are spoilers for the A &A finale.**

 **Guest: Thank you. It means a lot to me. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.**

 **Hi: I did watch the finale. I thought it was really good and the song was amazing. I love how the show ended how it started: playing the piano and destroying The Helen Show set. I also loved seeing them in the future with their kids and I did not see Trish's husband coming.**

 **Auslly0731: I can't wait for you to read it and thank you for reviewing every chapter of this story and even from my other stories. I really appreciate it! :D**

 **Musicgirl15: Thank you so much, you are so kind. And some parts of your theory are right and others gave me an idea, so thank you very much :D**

 **xxSmileYoureBeautifulxx : Thank you so much for all of your reviews and for being so supportive. I hope you're going to enjoy the dinner ;)**

 **madimaggg : Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. You made me blush.**

* * *

 **Thank you guys so so much for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting this story. You have no idea how much it means to me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and without further ado, here's next chapter's sneek peak:**

« That's not the problem. » He said.

« Then, what is? » I asked.

« I don't want to talk about it and definitely not to you. You're just my annoying neighbor who is trying to ruin my life. » He said harshly.

« You really think that's what I'm trying to do? » I asked bitterly. « 'Cause it's not. I want to be your friend and I want to help you. » I said as sweetly as possible.


	8. Hot and Cold

**Chapter 8  
Hot and Cold**

* * *

I've spent all night trying to figure out what might have happen to Austin. I know, I know. I should stop thinking about him. I should stop hoping that he will eventually become my friend. I have hope and it's killing me.

I kept replaying in my mind every conversation I've ever had with Austin. I remember that when I went to dinner at his place, he almost called his mom by her name. I think it means something, but what? Is she his step mother? Has he ever known his real mother? Is he adopted? These questions kept popping in my mind. Also, he told me not long ago that his life fell apart a long time ago. Is there a link with his parents?

He doesn't want to be in a relationship with anyone and he doesn't want to have friends. I don't know what to think of that. Does he hate people that much? Is he afraid to have friends? Has he had a bad relationship with someone before? Is he afraid to get attached to people? Is he just a loner?

I also remember that I saw him sobbing one night. He must've lived something pretty bad. What if he ran away that night because he learned that Mike and Mimi aren't his real parents? What if he ran away because he didn't want his parents thinking he could have a friend? What if they beat him?

There are so many things I need to find out about him. He's not happy and that's for sure. He's angry and bitter all the time. He doesn't give a chance to people and he always seems to only see the bad side of people.

It's like he expects people to be bad and awful.

Obviously, all of that questioning kept me awake for a while last night, but I managed to fall asleep.

I woke up not totally refreshed and in a good mood. I'm definitely lacking sleep today and it's going to be hard to stay awake in class especially since Trish always sleeps and Austin ignores me.

I got up from my bed and walked towards my drawers. I chose to wear a red tank top with a jeans coat and some black skinny jeans. I put my favorite necklace on. My mother gave it to me on my tenth birthday. It's a silver chain and it has the letter A dangling from it. The letter is formed with small diamonds. It's so pretty. I put on a little bit of makeup. I'm not one of those girls who like to wear too much makeup. I like it more natural. Once I was satisfied with my look, I grabbed my school bag and walked downstairs.

I poured some cereal in a bowl and added a bit of milk. I ate while looking at my phone since I was alone. Both of my parents were at the store working. An instrument shipment came in yesterday and they have to unpack it, so they decided to go to work earlier today.

When I was done, I grabbed my bag and walked outside to wait for the school bus.

Surprisingly, Austin was also waiting for the bus.

« Hey stranger! » I said, but he didn't move.

« Hey. » I repeated. Still no response.

« Don't you usually use your car to go to school? » I asked.

« It fucking broke down. » He said in an almost non audible voice.

« Sorry to hear that. » I said.

« Are you going to fucking talk to me until we get to school, because I'm not in the mood. » He dryly said. Ouch.

« I'm just trying to be nice. » I said.

« I don't give a shit. » He said. « Just shut the fuck up and let me be. »

« I got it. You don't have to be rude. » I said. Normally, when he tells me that, I see in his eyes that he doesn't really mean it. Right now, he looks like the angriest man on Earth.

« You know, your car will be fixed. You don't have to be angry about it. » I said.

« That's not the problem. » He said.

« Then, what is? » I asked.

« I don't want to talk about it and definitely not to you. You're just my annoying neighbor who is trying to ruin my life. » He said harshly.

« You really think that's what I'm trying to do? » I asked bitterly. « 'Cause it's not. I want to be your friend and I want to help you. » I said as sweetly as possible.

« I don't want to be your friend. » He spat.

« Why not? I thought you were warming up to me. » I responded to him.

« Because friends mean getting attached and getting attached means getting hurt. » He shouted and he looked down. He just answered one of my questions. He doesn't want friends because he doesn't want to get hurt, but what happened to make him feel that way?

I walked towards him and put my hand on his arm.

« Are you okay? » I asked. He didn't look up.

« I'm fine. » He said and he sniffed.

« A-Are you crying? » I asked taken aback.

« N-No. » He said and I could feel like he was choking on the word.

As I was going to say something else, I saw the yellow bus make its way down the street.

« Well, we better get to school. » I said.

I watched him as he turned around and walked into his house. I guess I won't be seeing him again today.

I made my way inside the yellow bus and sat in one of the benches. A tear rolled down my cheek. Even if I don't know him that well, I still feel really bad for him and seeing him like that just broke my heart.

* * *

I went to my first class, but I couldn't get my mind off what I just experienced. Normally, I always listen in class and I'm the first one to raise my hand and answer the teachers' questions, but today, today I couldn't even keep up with what the teachers said.

As I was scribbling in my notebook, I saw a piece of paper being tossed at me.

I opened it.

 _U ok? –Trish_

 _Yeah, I'm fine._

I wrote on the small paper and tossed it back at her. She threw it back on my desk in a matter of seconds.

 _You don't look fine._

 _I don't want to talk about it._

I wrote on the paper and I threw it back on her desk.

I don't want to tell her about what happen, because I don't think Austin would appreciate that. Also, Trish has a big mouth and she would end up telling everyone. I don't want Austin to be humiliated even more.

I saw her frown, rumple the piece of paper and put it in her pencil case, because, in this school, you are not allowed to bring a bag into the classrooms.

Ridiculous, right?

* * *

After the class ended, Trish and I joined Dez in the cafeteria and we just hung out during the break. Our conversation was inevitably about a certain blond-headed boy. When are they going to get over this?

« So, I bet you're down because of Austin. » Trish said suspiciously.

« Why would you say that? » I asked trying to look innocent.

« He's not here. » She said.

« So? » I asked.

« I think you're sad because he's not here. » She said.

« Really Trish? He's not even my friend. Why would I be sad? » I asked.

« I don't know, maybe because he's the only boy you talk to. » Dez responded.

« Speaking of that, what do you think of the boys here? » Trish asked me.

« I think they are fine, why? » I asked. I don't like where this is going.

« Seriously, isn't there a boy besides Austin that you think is cute? » Dez asked raising an eyebrow.

« I haven't really noticed. » I truthfully said. I'm not the girl who is always checking out the boys.

« Then Ally, we are going to check out the boys at lunch. » She said.

« No. » I responded.

« Why not? » She pouted.

« Because I think a relationship should be based on the affinities between two people, not whether or not the people are attractive. » I responded remembering what Austin told Cassidy yesterday. « I think that a relationship happens when it's bound to happen, not when it's forced. »

« Fine, but just so you know, you are a really boring person. » Trish said.

« Thanks Trish, it's always nice to have a supportive best friend. » I said to her.

She smiled.

* * *

After my third period, which was one of my only classes without Trish, I walked out of the classroom and headed for my locker.

That's when I saw Trish talking with a good looking boy. I walked up to them and greeted Trish.

« Hey Trish. » I said.

« Oh, hey Ally. » She responded. « Ally, this is Elliot, Elliot, this is Ally. »

« Nice to meet you. » The Elliot guy said as he shook my hand.

« The pleasure is all mine. » I said smiling.

« Well, I better get going. » He said and he walked away.

Once he was gone, I turned to Trish.

« What was that all about? » I asked.

« What do you mean? » She innocently asked.

« You and Elliot. » I said. « Duh. »

« We were paired up for a project in arts. » She said.

« Oh. » I said.

« You look disappointed. » She said.

« I thought he asked you out or something. » I said to her and that made her slightly uncomfortable.

« No. He didn't. We were just talking about the project. » She said really quickly.

Well, that's odd.

I'll let it go for now.

* * *

I walked out of the yellow bus and headed for my house. Trish and I didn't talk about that Elliot guy after I met him.

I was about to open the door to my house when a voice startled me.

« Ally dear, may I have a word? » It asked. I turned around and I saw Mimi.

« Of course Mrs. Moon. What can I do for you? » I asked in a really polite way.

« Come inside the house. » She said.

We walked there and I awkwardly sat on the couch.

« How are you? » She asked.

« I'm well and you? » I asked to be polite.

« I'm okay, but I'm a bit concerned. » She said. « Now, I wanted to know if you saw Austin today. »

« I did. » I responded.

« The school called me to tell me he skipped his classes. » She explained.

« He did. » I said remembering him not getting on the bus. « I saw him waiting for the bus, but then he walked back inside. »

« He did? » She asked.

« Yes, he did. » I responded.

« He's not here though. » She said.

« Is he okay? » I asked.

« Probably. » She said. « What happened this morning? »

« Well, we were talking and he seemed upset. I tried to calm him down and it got worse. I even think he ended up crying. » I explained.

« What upset him? » She asked.

« I don't know. We started talking about his car and he looked very angry about it. We ended arguing about why he didn't want to be my friend and he said that he didn't want to get friends because it meant getting attached to someone and that meant getting hurt. » I explained to her.

« I see. » She said.

« Do you know why he acted that way? » I asked.

« That's for him to tell you. He doesn't like to talk about this. » She said.

« So you know what's going on? » I asked a bit surprised.

« Of course I do. » She said.

« Can't you tell me? I really want to help him. » I said.

« No, I can't tell you, but I can tell you where he is. Well, where I think he is. » She said.

« Where? » I asked.

« There's this place down the river that's really isolated from the rest of the city. It's seven blocks from here. » She said.

« Thanks Mrs. Moon. » I said.

« My pleasure Ally. Now, go make sure he's alright. » She said and I walked out the door.

* * *

I put on a small coat and headed outside my house. The month of September might be hot in Miami, but here, it's getting kind of chilly and especially by the river. I went to take walks there a couple of times. It's really pretty.

I walked following the instructions Mimi gave me and found myself walking on rocks by the river.

After turning in circles for about fifteen minutes, I finally found the place Mimi was talking about.

He was there.

He was sitting on a rock with his legs pulled up to his chest. His head was resting on his knees and it seemed like he was crying.

I took my courage in my hands and walked towards him.

I better not regret this.

* * *

 **Here was chapter 8. I'm so excited for you to read chapter 9. I'll post it tomorrow if I have time.**

 **Thank you so much for reading this story. It means so much to me. Thank you for reviewing, following and favoriting.**

 **Thanks to ZoeyLovesAuslly (Guest), Latina Girl 16, Musicgirl15, Hi (Guest), AA lover (Guest), Auslly0731 and the two guests without names for the amazing reviews. Reading them really warms my heart!**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

« Wait. » He (Austin) said.

I turned around. « What? » I (Ally) curiously asked.

« Please don't tell anyone about this. » He (Austin) demanded.

« Don't worry. » I (Ally) said and now I really walked away.


	9. By the River

**Chapter 9  
By the River**

* * *

I tried to walk towards him without making too much noise. I did not want to scare him.

« I appreciate your concern, I really do, but I want to be alone right now Mimi. » He said and my eyes widened.

« I'm not Mimi. » I said and he turned around a bit shocked.

« Oh, it's you. » He said.

« Can I sit? » I asked.

« I'm not stopping you. » He said.

I sat down on a rock besides him and looked at the river and then I chuckled.

« You didn't tell me to leave you the fuck alone. Did you smoke something? » I asked.

He raised his right hand to show me the small object that was in it. It was a joint.

« Okay, I take back what I said. You did smoke drugs. » I said a bit shocked.

« It shocks you? » He asked raising an eyebrow. « Don't you believe what everyone says about me at school? »

« It kinda shocks me and no. I don't believe those crazy rumors. » I responded. « But, do you know how bad this is for your body? » I asked. His expression softened when I mentioned that I didn't believe the rumors going around about him.

« Actually, it's medicinal marijuana. » He said to me.

« Medicinal? » I repeated.

« Yes. » He said.

« Oh. » I said looking down.

None of us spoke for a couple of minutes and it was a bit awkward.

« About this morning, are you okay? » I finally decided to speak up.

« Honestly, not really. » He said and I saw that his eyes were still wet with tears.

« Do you want to talk about it? »

« No. It'll hurt even more. » He honestly said. « Listen, I'm sorry about what I told you this morning. »

« Austin Moon is apologizing to me? » I asked faking being shocked. « You should take drugs more often. » I said and he let out a small laugh. He knew I was kidding.

« This week is not a good week for me. I'm always more emotional at this time of the year. » He admitted.

I really wanted him to tell me more, but he would just close the door. I just sat there and listened.

« I'm sorry. » I said. « Whatever happened to you, I'm sorry it happened. »

« Thanks Alls. » He said. Did he just use a normal nickname for me?

I looked away and fidgeted. There's something I needed to know.

« Look, I don't want to be nosy, but why did you address your mom with her name? » I asked.

I looked down and I saw a tear coming down his cheek.

« Sh-she's not my mom. » He sniffled.

« A-Are you adopted? » I asked.

« Yes. » He responded glaring at the river. My heart dropped, but it makes sense.

« How old were you? » I asked.

« Thirteen. » He said.

« I-is that why you're so angry? » I asked.

« What do you mean? » He asked back.

« Because your birth parents abandoned you? » I asked.

« No. It's much more complicated than that. » He said. « Look, I don't want to talk about it anymore. »

« Okay. » I said. « Do you, huh, like them? » I asked him.

« Who? » He asked.

« Mimi and Mike. » I said.

« Of course I do, they took care of me ever since this whole thing happened. I couldn't be more grateful. » He said with a weird glint in his eyes. I think that was love.

« I never thought Austin Moon would actually admit he likes people. » I said to tease him.

« Shut up. » He playfully said as he slightly pushed my shoulder.

He looked back at the river and so did I.

« Well, I better get going. »

« Or you can stay here a bit more. » He demanded shyly. Gosh, he's so cute when he looks shy.

I looked at him confused and shocked. _He_ wanted _me_ to stay with him?

« The sun is about to set. » He said pointing towards it. « Have you seen it set on the river before? »

« No. » I said.

« Then, stay. It's worth the wait. » He said.

I smiled. I liked this Austin a lot more.

Both of us just sat a couple of feet apart and looked at the sun.

None of us spoke.

And it was okay.

The sun was setting and it was the most beautiful thing ever.

« You were right Austin. » I said to him. « It is gorgeous. »

« I knew you would like it. » He said smiling, but I still saw the pain in his eyes.

« Well, I'll go now. I'll see you later? » I asked.

« Yeah, sure. » He responded and turned back to the river. « I'm going to stay here a bit more. »

« Bye Austin. » I said and I walked away.

« Wait. » He said.

I turned around. « What? » I curiously asked.

« Please don't tell anyone about this. » He demanded.

« Don't worry. » I said and now I really walked away.

* * *

I walked back to my house, but I decided to make a stop at Austin's adoptive parents.

I knocked on the door.

« Ally, hi. » Mimi said smiling.

« Hi. » I said.

« So, did you find him? » She asked.

« I did. » I responded. « He still seemed pretty upset. »

« I wouldn't expect otherwise. » She said.

« What did he tell you? » She asked concerned.

« He told me that he's always more emotional at this time of the year and he told me the truth about you guys. » I said.

« He did? » She asked surprised.

« Yes. Well, he kind of had to since he called you Mimi instead of mom. » I explained.

« Well, that makes sense. I'm glad he told you. He's never told anyone about this before. » She said and I was taken aback.

« What? » I asked.

« No. He never trusted anyone. He just pushed everyone away. » She said. « I think you're special to him. » She said.

« You think so? » I asked blushing.

« Definitely. No matter how many times he told you to leave him alone, you still talked to him. Normally, he would ignore people like that, but not you. » She explained. « You're special Ally. »

I stared at her registering what she just said. Does that mean Austin actually likes me? Like he wants to be my friend?

I fidgeted a bit and spoke up again.

« There's one thing I wanted to know though. Is he really taking medicinal marijuana? » I asked.

« Yes, he is. It's the only way he can feel a bit better. » She said.

« I noticed. » I said. « He did not try to push me away. That's a first. »

« It has a huge impact on him. I just wish he'd be able to live without it one day. » She said.

« Whatever happened to him, I'm sure he can get over it. » I said.

« I hope. What he lived through was very scarring. I understand his reaction. » She said.

I looked down. I really wanted to help him, but to do that; I need to know about what happened to him.

« Listen Ally, don't give up on him. » She said.

« What? » I asked confused since I was lost in my thoughts.

« Don't give up on Austin, I know he's difficult, but he's truly the sweetest boy you will ever meet. » She said.

« I won't. I wasn't planning on giving up on him. » I responded to her and she smiled.

« You're good for him you know? » She said.

« What do you mean? » I asked.

« He's been acting less cold-hearted since you moved here and more like a normal teenager. » She said.

« How does this have to do with me? » I asked.

« Don't you see? » She asked.

« I think that deep down, he wants to impress you in some ways. » She said.

« Are you saying you think he likes me? » I asked.

« I think he does. I've known him for five years now. I know how he acts around girls. » She said.

« Wait, isn't he my age? He said he was adopted when he was thirteen. That makes him eighteen years old. » I said.

« He is going to be eighteen in October. » She said.

« Oh. He got held back in school? » I asked.

« You could say that, yes. » She said. « Well, thank you for looking after him Ally. »

« My pleasure. » I said to her. « I better get home now. My parents must be freaking out. »

* * *

« Where have you been? » My dad asked me as I entered the house.

« I went to Mimi's after school and then went for a walk near the river. I met Austin there and we talked a bit. » I explained without hiding anything.

« Okay, but tell us next time when you go out. We were worried. » My dad said.

« Don't worry about it. » I said warmly smiling to him.

I climbed the stairs and walked to my room.

I needed to think things through for a bit.

He was nice to me.

He was actually nice to me.

He opened up to me, not completely, but for him, it's greater than it seems.

It means he trusts me.

I am so happy about that.

He let his guards down and he didn't try to hide his feelings. That's a huge accomplishment.

I can't believe he trusts me.

Or maybe it was because of the marijuana.

What if Mimi was right? What if he does like me? Maybe not in a romantic way, but maybe he likes me as a friend.

I heard a knock on the door.

« Come in. » I said.

« Hey. » My mom said.

« Hey. » I responded.

« I need a favor. » She said.

« I need you to look at the store tomorrow night. » She said.

« Yeah, sure, no problem. » I responded.

« Your father and I have an emergency reunion with other store owner in the mall about why business is so slow. » She said.

« It's okay mom. Don't worry about it. » I said smiling.

« Thank you sweetheart. » She responded and she walked out.

* * *

Later that night, I decided to video chat Piper. I hadn't talked to her in the last couple of days.

« Hey Piper. » I said cheerily. « It's nice to see you! »

« It's nice to see you too. » She said. « So, how are things? »

« Getting better. I'm used to school now and I have two amazing friends. I talked about them before. »

« Yes, Trish and Dez. » She said. « Is Dez smarter than you thought? » She asked giggling.

« No. Not really. » I responded.

« Hey, there's something I need to talk to you about. » She said playing with a strand of her hair.

« What's wrong? » I asked.

« Do you remember Gavin from school? » She asked.

« How can I forget about him? I had a crush on him for so long. » I responded.

« I know. Wait, _had_? » She asked surprised.

« Yes _had_ , it's not like I'm going to see him again and besides, we weren't meant to be. » I said to her and she smiled.

« Good. » She said. « The thing is, he asked me out. » She said excitedly.

« Oh my god Piper, that's great! » I cheered.

« You're not mad? » She asked.

« No, besides, I have Austin. » I said and my eyes widened. Did I just say that? Do I even have a crush on him?

« Austin? Is there something I should know? » She asked.

« N-No. » I awkwardly said.

« Ally. » She scolded me.

« Fine. We have been getting closer. Well, closer in his ways. » I said.

« Austin _the mysterious boy who told you to fuck off many times_ Moon? » She asked.

« Yes, him. » I responded.

« So, what's going on between you two? » She asked.

« He's warming up to me. » I said. « He opened up a bit about his past and why he acts that way. » I said. « That's a start. That means he trusts me. » I said.

« And that made you fall for him even more. » Piper said.

« Okay, I do think he's attractive and I know that he's a good guy deep down. I just don't think he wants a relationship for now. » I said.

« It's possible. The way you talk about him, he pushes away everyone and doesn't want to get attached. » She said. « You can hate me for saying this, but maybe you shouldn't put your hopes up. Maybe you should think about seeing other guys or staying single. As you wish. » She said

« I wish things weren't that complicated. » I said.

« I really miss seeing you every day. » Piper said to me.

« I know. I miss you too. Going to school is not the same without you. » I said to her.

« Maybe you can move to Québec city? » I joked.

« Of course and I'll fly here on my pink unicorn. » She said and I laughed. I looked away.

Piper was looking at me with suspicious eyes.

« What? » I asked.

« What are you thinking about? » She asked.

« The first time Austin was actually nice to me. » I guiltily said.

« Why? » She asked confused.

« He came to thank me for clearing some rumors about him and when I asked him why he was in my backyard, he told me he was hunting a unicorn. » I explained.

« Remember when I told you you got it bad? » She asked.

« Of course. » I responded.

« I take it back. Now, you got it really really bad. » She said.

« Maybe. » I said shifting my eyes to the left.

« Stop denying it. » She said. « Are you scared to fall for him? »

« Maybe. » I said.

« Why? » She curiously asked.

« I know he doesn't have the same feelings for me and I know he doesn't want to feel those feelings. » I said.

« I understand. » She responded with a sympathetic look. « Please, make sure you don't get hurt. »

« Yeah yeah. » I responded.

« Well, we'll talk later, okay? » She asked.

« Yeah, definitely. » I said and I closed my lap top.

What have I gotten myself into?

Why do I always have feelings for someone who doesn't feel the same way?

* * *

 **Thank you guys so much for reading this story and for the amazing reviews! I love reading them! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak. I won't be able to update before Monday though:**

I clicked on the small icon to listen to the message.

 _Hey Ally, if you have time, I'd like to see you after your shift. Your mom told me earlier that you were working tonight. I'll be in the backyard. Oh, it's Austin .Bye._

My eyes widened when he said his name. How did he get my number and more importantly why does he want to talk to me?


	10. Music Store

**Chapter 10  
Music Store**

* * *

 **I'm sorry for not updating earlier today, but here I am now :D**

* * *

Today's day at school was pretty boring. I was hoping Austin would talk to me even if it's to insult me or to threaten me about yesterday, but he just ignored me. I tried to talk to him once, but he gave me a lame excuse and he walked away. It wasn't like he did not want to talk to me; it was like he was afraid to talk to me.

He actually didn't look like his normal cold self. He looked a bit more relaxed. I'm not saying he was nice to people, because he just ignored everyone, but that was an improvement.

I really wanted to meet him after school, but he turned me down. He said he was busy and that he didn't have time. He did not say he did not want to. Although, that might have been an excuse because he didn't want to see me.

It's so frustrating though. One moment he's being completely honest and nice to me and the next moment he ignores me.

I want to know who he really is. I want him to open up, but it's not easy.

He won't let me in.

Right now, I'm at the music store covering my parents' shift. I don't really mind though. The only thing I mind is that I can't properly communicate with the costumers. I can if they just buy stuff and I have to give them their change and etc., but I can't if they ask me questions.

I've been able to get myself understood so far, but I was now dealing with a rather angry looking costumer.

« C'est quoi cette marde? J'ai acheté cette corde pour ma guitare hier et elle est déjà brisée. Je veux me faire rembourser. » (What's that shit? I bought this string yesterday for my guitar and it's already broken. I want a refund. ) The costumer said showing me a broken guitar string.

I guess he's angry because the string is broken

« Je suis désolée. » ( I am sorry. ) I said to the costumer in a really broken French.

« Être désolée ne me donnera pas une nouvelle corde. Je veux parler au gérant. » (Being sorry won't get me a new string. I want to talk to the manager. ) The customer told me.

« Je ne comprends pas. Je suis désolée. » (I don't understand. I am sorry. ) I said to him hoping he would have some sympathy for me.

« Apprends donc à parler Français. T'es au Québec tabarnak. » ( Learn to speak French. You're in Québec fuck! » The costumer angrily said to me.

« Excusez-moi monsieur, la pauvre caissière fait son possible pour vous comprendre et pour parler en Français. Que voulez-vous qu'elle fasse de plus? » (Excuse me sir, the poor cashier is doing her best to understand you and to speak French. What else do you want her to do? »A masculine voice said from behind the man.

The costumer looked stunned.

« Elle pourrait avoir la décence de remplacer ma corde de guitare. » (She could have the decency to replace my guitar string.) The costumer said to the boy behind him. I can't see him, but his voice is strangely familiar.

« C'est contre la politique de la boutique. C'est écrit là. » (It's against the store's policy. It's written right there.) The boy said. The costumer grumbled and walked away.

I finally saw who was the boy.

« Oh, hey Ally. » He said.

« Hey Elliot. » I responded. « What did you tell him? » I asked.

« He wanted you to give him a refund for the guitar string he broke, so I told him it was against the store's policy and he walked out. » He said smiling like it was the best accomplishment in the world. It was kinda cute.

There was an awkward silence.

« So… What can I help you with? » I asked.

« Nothing really. » He responded shyly.

« Why are you here then? » I asked.

« I wanted to see you. » He said and I blushed a bit.

« Here I am. » I awkwardly responded.

« So… » He said shyly.

« So… » I said.

« I think you look like a really nice girl and I was wondering if I could have your number. » Elliot shyly said. He is nowhere as cute as Austin when he's shy. Wait. Damn brain. Why do I compare him to Austin?

« Sure. » I said a bit unsure of myself. He does look like a nice guy and I'm pretty sure I have zero chances with Austin.

« Great. » He said smiling.

« Give me your phone, I'll put my number in it. » I said smiling.

He gave it to me and I entered my number in the contact list.

I find it weird that he's actually interested in me. He could have talked to me before.

« I don't mean to be rude, but why did you come to me now? » I asked him.

« Well I noticed that we are in some classes together and I think you look like a really interesting person. I really wanted to talk to you at school, but I was too nervous to do it. » He said shyly. Well, I think it was shyness; I couldn't exactly decipher his facial expression. It was kind of weird.

« That's really sweet of you Elliot. » I responded. He seems like a really nice guy.

« I'll talk to you later? » He stated and asked at the same time.

« Yeah, sure. » I responded and he exited the store.

Should I really have given him my number?

Now, he's going to use it.

Do I really want to talk to him?

I don't know.

He seems really sweet.

But he's not the one I want to be with.

Wait.

What?

Who do I want to be with?

Fucking brain.

Why do I keep having those thoughts?

Why is he the only thing I think about?

 _Because you're in love with him._ My brain keeps telling me.

I'm not in love with him.

Maybe I am.

I don't know.

This is all so confusing.

* * *

I closed the store at exactly nine like my dad wants me too. He wants to make sure I won't lose a sale before nine o'clock. I love him, but he's kind of cheap sometimes.

I climbed the stairs leading to the practice room above the store and took my purse. I took my phone out of it

I had a message from an unknown number.

Must be Elliot.

I clicked on the small icon to listen to the message.

 _Hey Ally, if you have time, I'd like to see you after your shift. Your mom told me earlier that you were working tonight. I'll be in the backyard. Oh, it's Austin .Bye._

My eyes widened when he said his name. How did he get my number and more importantly why does he want to talk to me?

I walked home because I don't live that far from the store and kept thinking about the whole mess I'm in right now.

I reached my house twenty minutes later and went directly inside. I put my purse in my room and headed outside. I did want to see Austin.

* * *

 _I walked outside the back door and saw Austin standing right in front of me with a rose in his hand._

 _« This is for you. » He said giving me the rose._

 _« Thank you Austin. » I said whilst flustering._

 _« My pleasure. » He said and he stood closer to me._

 _« You know, you are the prettiest girl I've ever seen. » He said and I blushed even more._

 _« Thank you Austin. » I repeated._

 _« Now, would you mind if I did this? » He asked._

 _He got closer to me and he slowly started to lean in._

 _He put his hands on my back and pulled me closer._

 _I leaned in too._

 _Our lips were about to touch._

 _I felt butterflies in my stomach._

Then, a voice startled me.

« Ally? Are you okay? » Austin asked looking concerned.

« I'm fine, why? » I asked.

« You were blankly staring at me. » He responded.

I got lost in my thoughts. I daydreamed about Austin. This can't be happening. I can't fall for him.

« Are you sure you're okay? » I asked.

« Yes. I am completely fine. » I lied.

« So, I wanted to apologize for ignoring you. » He said.

« A second apology from Austin Moon? It's probably the marijuana talking. » I said.

« Nope. I did not use it today. » He said.

« Really? » I asked hopeful.

« Yes, really. » He said.

« Well, I accept your apology. » I said.

« Thanks. » He said.

Things were a bit awkward now.

« Sorry, I'm not good at being friends with people. » He said.

« Is Austin Moon saying I'm his friend? I thought he never wanted to be my friend. » I said exaggerating. « How will I celebrate? »

« Oh shut it. » He said.

« You're not kidding? » I asked.

« No. I'm not. » He said.

« What changed your mind? » I asked.

« Nothing. I never changed my mind. » He responded.

« What? » I asked confused. What does he mean?

« I kind of always wanted to get to know you. » He said shyly. Why is he so cute when he's shy? « But I was too scared to get attached and then to get hurt. You're the only one who kept trying to talk to me. Everyone just eventually gave up. » He explained.

« Why didn't you say so earlier? » I asked.

« I told you. I was scared to get attached and that's why I stayed away from people and especially you. It didn't mean I did not want people to try and talk to me. I was secretly happy when you talked to me. I acted that way to make sure I couldn't get hurt anymore. I put a mask on. It doesn't mean I was happy about it. I secretly wanted for someone to come up to me and actually try to take that mask off me. » He said.

We walked towards the patio stairs and sat on them.

« What do you mean? » I asked.

« I pushed people away, because I was afraid to get attached and to lose them. I never made any friends. I thought it was because I was scaring people away and none of them tried to know me better because I wasn't worth it. My mind kept telling me to stay away from people, but my subconscious actually wanted to find someone who cares for me and sees beneath the mask I gave myself. » He explained.

« And that's me. » I realized.

« It is. » He said. « Thank you Alls, for giving me hope, for making me feel like I'm not invisible and a complete jerk. »

« You are very welcomed. » I said with a wide smile.

We kept smiling at each other. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't in a romantic way.

« You're still my annoying neighbor who won't shut up though. » He said and he winked.

« And you are still that jerk who hates people and cusses way too much. » I said to him and he chuckled. « Well, I better go back inside. I have homework to do and we have school tomorrow. » I said to him.

« Yeah, I guess you should. » He said and I turned around.

« Wait. » He said.

« What? » I asked as I turned around.

Then, I felt two strong arms making their way around my petite frame.

I wrapped my arms around his torso.

Wait, is he really hugging me?

I felt him tighten his grip around me.

He moved his head and whispered something in my ear.

« Thank you. »

With that, he let go and we both walked away.

I walked back inside and leaned on the door.

Did that really happen?

Wait, it really did.

I can still feel his strong arms around me.

It felt so good.

I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this or didn't feel butterflies in my stomach.

It was the most amazing feeling ever.

* * *

« And then, he hugged me. » I told Piper through the computer.

« O-M-G, you're blushing. You're so in love with him. » Piper told me.

« Shut it. » I said.

« You cannot deny the truth. » She said.

« I know. I know I'm falling for him, but I shouldn't. » I said to her.

« Why? » She asked me.

« Because he's probably afraid of getting in a relationship. Therefore, he would probably reject me. » I said to her.

« Well, by the way you talk about him, I can say he likes you. Maybe he's not in love with you, but you're important to him. Why would he open up to you if he didn't like you? » She asked.

« I don't know. Maybe he felt forced. » I said.

« I'm pretty sure he didn't. If you forced him, he would've pushed you away even more. » She said.

« Maybe you're right. » I said to her.

« Now, there is something else I wanted to talk to you about. » I told Piper.

« What? » She asked.

« So, I was working at the store and a guy from my school walked up to me. » I explained.

« Continue. » She said.

« He asked for my number and I gave it to him. » I told her.

« You did? What about Austin? » She asked.

« That's my problem. Elliot seems like a really nice guy, but I don't want to break his heart. » I explained to her.

« It's not like your dating him. » She said. « Just turn him down gently. »

« I guess I should do that. » I responded.

« You should. Ally, you can't go on a date with someone when you're in love with somebody else. » She said to me.

« Wait? Who said I was in love with Austin? I just have a tiny crush on him. » I responded to her.

« Right. » She said sarcastically. « When you realize it. I'll be able to say _I told you so_. »

« Whatever. » I responded. Crap. I'm talking like Austin now.

« I'll talk to you later. » She said.

« Yeah. » I responded.

* * *

 **Okay, I rewatched the finale of Austin and Ally and I noticed something at the very end. When you see them in the future with their kids you see a frame at some point. On the frame, it says something like « Songwriter of the year award goes to Ally Edgar Dawson ». I can't believe I missed this the first time I watched the finale. I thought it was great that we finally got to know Ally's middle name.**

 **Thank you guys so much for the amazing reviews. I still want to thank Auslly0731, xxSmileYourBeautifulxx, Pigletkate, Musicgirl15, ZoeyLovesAuslly and the two guests for the amazing reviews. I love reading them and you guys are so kind. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you are still enjoying this story. I love writing it and I can't wait for you guy to react to everything I planned. Next chapter will probably be up on Wednesday. I need to write as much as I can before school starts so I can still update often. ;)**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

« No. I'm tired of this. If he wants to explain, then he'll have to come to me. » I (Ally) said. « I don't even know if I can believe what he told me. Maybe he was just playing me, but here's a newsflash, I don't want to be a part of the game anymore. » I said to her feeling tears prickling my eyes again. « I'm going home. »

« But there's one period left. » Trish said.

« I don't give a shit. » I (Ally) responded and I walked away. I need to think things through and to talk to Mimi.


	11. Trouble

**Chapter 11  
Trouble**

* * *

 **I'm sorry for updating so late today, but I think I'll always update at this time of the day from now on.**

* * *

I was currently sitting in my math class and I was kind of pissed and heart broken.

Why?

Austin.

I thought we were getting along.

I tried to talk to him this morning, but he didn't want to talk to me.

We kind of had an argument. It was a bit weird. One minute, everything was fine. The other he told me to fuck off quite angrily. He told me to go away. I don't know what came through him.

Here is what happened.

 _I was walking through the school when I saw the familiar mop of blond hair. I walked towards him to talk to him like friends normally do._

 _« Hey Austin. » I greeted him._

 _« Oh, hey Ally. » He said._

 _« How are you? » I asked him._

 _« Okay I guess. » He responded._

 _« Good. » I responded. Now what? It was a bit awkward._

 _« So, hum, what's your first class? » I asked._

 _« English. » He responded._

 _« Cool. » I said. « Okay. This is awkward. »_

 _« Definitely. » He said. « I told you I'm not good at being friends with people. »_

 _« I know, but you'll learn. » I said._

 _« You know, I had a strange conversation with Mimi last night. » He started to say._

 _« About what? » I asked him._

 _« She saw us in your backyard. » He said._

 _« So? » I asked._

 _« Now, she's gotten that crazy idea that we are in love. » He said._

 _« Seriously? » I asked chuckling._

 _« Ridiculous, right? » He responded. Ouch. That hurt._

 _Then, Austin eyes were caught on something, but I couldn't figure out what._

 _« Moon! » I heard a deep voice shout from across the cafeteria and Austin seemed frozen._

 _« Austin? » I asked._

 _« Go away. » He said._

 _« What? » I asked._

 _« I said, leave me the fuck alone. » He said. What? What's wrong with him?_

 _« Why? What's wrong with you? » I asked hurt._

 _« Nothing is wrong with me. I don't like you and I think you're annoying. » He said._

 _« What happened to you? Why are you saying this? » I asked._

 _« Because it's the truth. » He said._

 _« No, it's not. » I said shyly._

 _« I never fucking liked you and I never will. » He said._

 _« That's not what you were saying yesterday. » I said._

 _« Well, you seemed so desperate to talk to me. I just gave you what you wanted. » He said._

 _« What? » I asked. « So you really are just an asshole. »_

 _That was enough. I turned around and I felt tears fill up my eyes. A couple of them escaped from them and rolled down my cheeks._

 _My vision was kind of blurry now and as I walked away, I bumped into a guy who was walking towards Austin. He was tall. He had brown hair and brown eyes. He was kind of intimidating. He looked like the school bad boy. He looked like a player, an asshole._

 _I kept walking away though. I walked to the nearest bathrooms and locked myself in a stall. I silently cried until the bell rang._

 _Once it did, I went to class and sat in the back of the class. I didn't want to be noticed even though Trish was sitting right beside me._

 _« Are you okay? » She whispered. « It looks like you cried. »_

 _« I did. » I said. I didn't bother to lie, because it was obvious that I cried. My eyes were still puffy and red._

 _« What happened? » She asked me._

 _« I'll tell you at the break. » I whispered to her._

That leads me to right now.

How could he do this?

He played me.

I guess that's what Trish and Dez tried to warn me about.

Why did I trust him?

He played with my emotions. He used my soft side just to hurt me.

What an ass.

* * *

« So? » Trish asked. « What happened? »

« Austin happened. » I said.

« What did he do to you? Did he hurt you? Rape you? » She asked.

« He played me. » I said.

« What? » She asked.

« He made me believe I was his friend and then he showed his true color. » I explained tears till prickling my eyes.

« You thought you were his friend? » She asked looking really confused.

« I did. He opened up to me. He told me a bit of his past. » I said.

« What did he tell you? » She asked.

« I don't even know of it's true and I don't want to spread rumors. » I said to her.

« Okay. » She said.

« So, this morning, we were having a normal conversation and he snapped after I heard someone call him. He told me he didn't like me and that he never will. » I explained to her.

« I'm sorry Ally, but I tried to warn you. » She said.

« I know and I should've listened to you. » I said.

« Why did I fall for this? » I asked.

« He is incredibly handsome. » She said.

« I'm not superficial Trish. I didn't like him for that. I believed him. I believed he liked me. » I said to her.

* * *

I was in a bathroom stall still crying. I didn't want Trish to see me like this again. I needed time to think. That's when two girls walked into the bathroom. I couldn't identify them, but their conversation was rather interesting.

« Did you hear about the fight? » One of the voices asked.

« I did. » The other voice said.

« I can't believe Austin would fight Dallas. » The first voice said. Austin? He got into a fight?

« I can't believe Austin would fight for someone. » One of the voices said.

« I can't believe he would fight for her. She's not even pretty. » The voice said. Her? Who is _her_?

« I know right. I can't believe Ally's the first one he talked to. Cassidy is so much better than her and yet, he chose Ally. » The other voice said. Okay, the _her_ is me. Why did he fight for me? What was the fight about?

« I still think Dallas is right though. » One voice said.

« About what? » The other asked.

« About what Austin did to Ally. I think Austin played her only to get into her pants. There's no way he actually likes that girl. She's a loser. I'm sure Dallas is right. Austin is just a player. » She said.

Tears were still rolling down my cheeks. I didn't know people saw me as a loser. I'm not the most popular girl, but I thought people thought of me as a normal human being.

Austin fought for me. He fought Dallas because he was angry about the rumors he was spreading. He told me he was fucking tired of them.

I wanted to feel empathy for him, but it still doesn't explain how he behaved this morning.

Why did he tell me that?

Wait.

The guy I crossed path with when I left the cafeteria. Was it him? Was it Dallas? Did he act that way because he wanted me away from Dallas? That guy did shout his name right before Austin snapped.

I waited for the girls to exit the bathroom and I exited too making sure my eyes weren't too puffy.

I walked over to where I thought Trish might be. The most secluded spot of the cafeteria.

« Trish. » I said as I saw her.

« What? » She asked.

« Dallas. Who is he? » I asked.

She took her phone out and showed me his profile picture on Facebook.

That's him. That's the guy I crossed path with in the cafeteria.

« Why are you interested in him? » She asked.

« No. Not at all. Austin and him fought this morning. » I said to her.

« That's what the whole chaos in the cafeteria was. » She realized.

« I guess. » I said.

« Do you know what the fight was about? » She asked.

« I'm not sure. I heard rumors that it was because Dallas was accusing Austin of playing me just to sleep with me. » I explained to her.

« Did he? » She asked.

« Of course not. » I said.

« That's a good thing. » She said.

« It still doesn't explain his behavior. Why did he act like that this morning? » I asked.

« I don't know. » She responded. « Maybe you should talk to Austin. »

« Are you really suggesting I make up with him? You're the one who told me to stay away from him. » I said shocked.

« I know what I said, but you're definitely upset and if this can calm you, then do this. » She said.

« No. » I responded.

« You're not going to talk to him? » She asked surprised.

« No. I'm tired of this. If he wants to explain, then he'll have to come to me. » I said. « I don't even know if I can believe what he told me. Maybe he was just playing me, but here's a newsflash, I don't want to be a part of the game anymore. » I said to her feeling tears prickling my eyes again. « I'm going home. »

« But there's one period left. » Trish said.

« I don't give a shit. » I responded and I walked away. I need to think things through and to talk to Mimi.

* * *

I walked all the way to my house. It was long, but I didn't want to see Austin.

It was like he didn't want that Dallas guy to think he was my friend. It's like he wanted me away from Dallas.

I walked to the porch and entered the house. My parents weren't there obviously. They are working at the store.

I took the phone and checked the phone numbers' list.

I found Mimi's and I dialed.

« Hi. » I heard her respond.

« Hi Mimi, it's Ally. » I said.

« Oh, how can I help you? » She asked.

« I was wondering if we could chat. In person. » I said to her.

« Of course dear. » She said.

« Great, I'll make tea and wait for you at my house. » I said to her.

« Okay. I'll be right there. » She said.

I know it looks weird, but I don't want to see him. I don't want to risk going to their house and then seeing him.

I heard knocks on the front door.

« Mimi, come on in. » I said to her.

« Is something troubling you? You're supposed to be at school right now. » She said to me.

« I know. » I said. « I wanted to talk about Austin. » I told her.

« I already told you dear, I can't tell you about his past. » She said.

« I know. That's not what I want to talk about. » I said to her.

« It's not? » She asked surprised.

« We had an argument this morning and then he got into a fight. » I said.

« What? » She asked concerned. « He promised me he wouldn't do that anymore. »

« I'm sorry. » I said to her.

« So, what was your argument about? » She asked me.

« I don't know. We were talking and everything was fine and a second later, he told me to stay away from him, that he never liked me, that he just talked to me because I looked desperate and that I was annoying. » I told her. « Just as I walked away, I crossed path with the guy he got into a fight with who shouted his name right before he snapped. »

« Dallas? » She asked.

« Yes, how did you know? » I asked.

« Austin got into many fights with him. That guy spread a lot of rumors about him. He always provoked him. » She said to me.

« I did not know that. » I said to her.

« You want to know what I think? » She asked.

« Okay. » I responded.

« I think he wants you away from him. » She said.

« Maybe, but he could have told me in a nicer way. » I said.

« I think he might have panicked when he saw him. They hate each other and that guy always knows how to press Austin's buttons. He knows how to touch a sensible cord and I think you might be one of them. » She explained to me.

« He still said all of those things to me. » I responded. Those things hurt like a bitch.

« Maybe he wanted Dallas to hear him and then think you're not someone he cares about so he wouldn't try to hurt you. » She explained.

« That's possible, but I think it's a long shot. » I said.

« Who knows? » She said. « Ask Austin. »

« No. I don't want to talk to him. » I said.

She gave me those eyes meaning she was mad.

« What? » I asked.

« Do you remember what I asked you? » She said to me.

« You asked me to keep an eye on him. » I said. I know where she's going with this, but I don't want to say it.

« No. I asked you not to give up on him and then you told me that you weren't planning to. » She said looking disappointed.

« I know. » I said and I looked down. « It's just, I feel like I'm only getting hurt right now. »

« What about last night? What about that moment you shared with Austin? » She asked me. Right, I forgot that she saw that.

« What about last night? » I asked innocently.

« How did it make you feel? » She asked.

I did not want to answer her. I can't tell her it felt amazing.

« Okay I guess. » I said to her.

« Ally. » She scolded me.

« Fine, it made me feel great. » I said to her.

« Do you want to know how it made Austin feel? » She asked.

« S-Sure. » I said a bit unsure.

« He smiled all evening. He never stopped smiling. No one had ever made him smile that long before. » She said.

« Really? » I asked hopefully.

« Yes. Really. He almost looked happy. I hadn't seen that in a long while. » She said. « Promise me you'll let him explain himself. »

« I promise. » I said to her.

« Promise me that you won't give up. » She said.

« Fine. I promise. » I said to her.

« I'll leave now. I'm sure your parents will be home soon and that you'll have some explaining to do. » She said to me.

« I sure do. » I said. « Thank you Mimi. I can see why Austin likes you so much. »

« He does? » She asked surprised.

« Of course. » I responded.

« He never told us before. » She said.

« What? » I asked.

« He told me that he really likes you guys and that he's really grateful for everything you did for him. » I said to her.

« That's so nice to hear. Austin is so scared of his feelings that he never told us that. » She said. « Thank you Ally. » She said and she walked out.

Seeing her happy like that really warmed my heart.

* * *

 **Thank you guys so much for reading this story. It means a lot to me. I also want to thank everyone who followed and favorited. I also want to thank everyone who reviewed. I love reading your reactions to the chapter.**

 **I also want to thank all of those silent readers out there. Even though I have no idea who you are, I really appreciate that you read this story.**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak :**

« How did you get here? » I asked.

« There was a ladder lying around. I just used it to get to your balcony. » He said and he winked at me.

« No. You don't get to wink at me. I'm fucking pissed right now. » I said dryly. « Wait, what happened to your eye? » I asked noticing how the contour of his eye was blue and purple.

« I got into a fight with Dallas. » He said.


	12. Explanations

**Chapter 12  
Explanations**

* * *

« Ally Marie **(1)** Dawson. Why are you home at this time of the day? » My dad asked me as he entered the house.

« I kind of ditched school. » I said to him.

« May I know why? » He asked. « This is not like you. »

« I know and I am sorry. » I said.

« Why did you skip your last class? Was it the only one you skipped? » He asked.

« Yes. I only skipped last period. » I said to him.

« Why? » He asked for the third time.

« I was upset. » I said to him.

« About what? » He asked me.

« I had an argument with Austin. » I said to him. I didn't bother to lie. He would be even madder if he found out that I lied.

« About what? » He asked.

« Nothing important. » I said to him.

« No. If you were that upset, it must've been important. » He said.

« Fine. I thought we were friends and he told me to leave him alone and that he didn't like me. » I explained to him.

« This boy is trouble. I noticed the first time I met him. He has no respect. » He said.

« No dad. He's really nice when you get to know him. » I said.

« I don't think so. » He said. « I don't want you to see him in the next couple of days. I don't want you to talk to him either. »

« What? » I asked. « I need to talk to him. »

« No. You don't. You won't talk to him in the next couple of days. » He sternly said.

« Fine. » I responded as I walked up to my room. I knew there was no point to argue with my dad. He'll come down eventually. Anyway, it's not like I'm going to talk to Austin tonight. I know I told Mimi I wouldn't give up on him, but I don't feel like talking to him tonight.

* * *

I was sitting on my bed writing in my songbook. I had a few ideas for songs so I decided to write them down. I can't say the songs I write are good, but it helps me control my emotions. It also helps me clear my mind. When I play music or write, I don't think about anything. It's just me and music. It's really relaxing.

I heard the doorbell ring and I was about to walk down the stairs when I heard my dad open the front door.

« I'm sorry, but Ally cannot see you right now. » My dad sternly said.

« I just want to talk to her. » The person said. Austin. I'd recognize his voice anywhere.

« Not tonight. » He said dryly.

« Why not? » He asked. Oh Austin. Just go away. You'll make things worse.

« Because you have a bad influence on her and I don't want you around her. » He said sternly.

« What happened? » Austin asked.

« Go. » My dad said.

« Fine. Good evening M. Dawson. » Austin said and he left.

I walked back to my room and closed the door.

My dad can be so frustrating sometimes. I know I'm mad at Austin, but I have to give him a chance to explain. For Mimi.

I took my guitar again and I started strumming it.

I ended up playing a new melody. Maybe this could be a song.

I noted the chords in my songbook and continued to play.

I'm not sure what this song can be about though.

Wait, I have an idea for the chorus.

I strummed the guitar and started to sing.

 _We are the heroes of our time_

 _Heroes oooooooooooh_

 _But we're dancing with the demons in our minds_

 _Heroes oooooooooooh_ _ **(2)**_

I jumped as I heard someone clap.

I turned around and saw Austin leaning on one of the doors leading to my balcony.

« What are you doing here? » I asked him. « Wait, how did you get here? My dad would never let you into the house. »

« He doesn't know I'm here. » He said smirking.

« How did you get here? » I asked.

« There was a ladder lying around. I just used it to get to your balcony. » He said and he winked at me.

« No. You don't get to wink at me. I'm fucking pissed right now. » I said dryly. « Wait, what happened to your eye? » I asked noticing how the contour of his eye was blue and purple.

« I got into a fight with Dallas. » He said.

« Why? » I asked. « I heard some rumors, but I want to know the truth. » I demanded.

« He was being an ass. » He responded.

« Mais encore? » (That's an expression meaning you want more details) I asked. He chuckled.

« What? » I asked.

« Your accent. » He said.

« I can say the same for your accent in English. » I pointed out.

« True. » He responded.

« So? What happened? » I asked again.

« He was accusing me of taking advantage of you. » He answered. « I lost it. He just knows how to make me so angry! » He said.

« Why did that make you so angry? » I asked. I needed to know.

« Because I don't fucking want to take you down with me. » He said.

« What? » I asked.

« I don't want you to go through what I fucking go through every day. I don't want people spreading rumors about you. » He said.

« Don't worry about that. People are already talking behind my back. » I said to him.

« Seriously? » He asked looking desperate.

« Yes. I heard two girls in the bathroom saying I was just a loser, that I wasn't pretty and that I don't deserve you. They said you should've chosen Cassidy over me. » I explained.

« I fucking hate teenage girls. » He said.

« Hey, I am a teenage girl. » I said to him offended.

« I fucking hate fucking teenage girls like Cassidy, Kira and Brooke. » He said.

« That's better. » I said. « I'm still mad at you. »

« I know. » He said looking sad.

« Why did you say all of those things? » I asked. « Do you know how much it hurt me? »

« I'm sorry Ally. I panicked. » He admitted.

« Why? » I asked.

« I don't want Dallas thinking you are important to me even if it's true. » He said and my eyes widened.

« I'm important to you? » I asked.

« Of course you are Alls. » He said.

« Anyway, I wanted him to see us arguing so he wouldn't think about hurting you to hurt me. » He explained.

« So you did that to protect me? » I asked.

« Yes. » He responded.

« Couldn't you just tell me to play along instead of making me believe those things? » I asked him.

« I guess I should've, but I panicked. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. » He said.

« I don't know. » I responded.

His face fell.

« I don't want to hide my friendship with you. » I said.

« I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have asked you that. » He said. « I just don't want you to get hurt. »

« You know, you are a bit overprotective. » I said to him. I saw his jaw clench.

« I'm sorry. » He said.

« Don't be. » I said. « It means you care. »

He smiled.

« But, I can handle Dallas on my own. I don't care if people talk behind my back. » I said to Austin.

« I care. » He said.

« I can take care of myself Austin. Just trust me. » I said to him.

« Do you know how hard it is for me to trust people? » He asked.

« You've been betrayed before? » I asked.

« You could say that, yes. » He responded.

« Ally. » I heard my dad say.

« Austin, hide. » I whispered to him.

He walked out of my room onto my balcony. I closed the doors and sat on my bed with my guitar.

« Yes dad? » I responded to him.

« Can I come in? » He asked.

« Of course. » I responded.

« What are you doing? » He asked me.

« I was just fooling around with my guitar. » I lied.

« I heard you talking to someone. » He said.

« No. I was singing. » I lied again. Damn you Austin.

« Can I hear? » He asked.

« S-Sure. » I stuttered.

I strummed the guitar and started to sing.

 _We are the heroes of our time_

 _Heroes oooooooooooh_

 _But we're dancing with the demons in our minds_

 _Heroes oooooooooooh_ _ **(2)**_

« That's all I got so far. » I said to him.

« That's really good. » He said smiling.

Then, he exited my room and walked downstairs.

I stood up from my bed and opened the doors that lead to my balcony.

« That was close. » I told Austin.

« It was. » He said. « I didn't mean to get you in trouble. »

« Don't worry. » I said to him. « So, huh, you really didn't mean it? »

« Not one bit. » He said as he leaned on the railing around my balcony.

« When did it all started? » I asked him.

« What? » He asked.

« The feud between you and Dallas. » I said to him.

«Right after I moved here. » He said.

« Moved? » I repeated. « Where were you living before? »

« Lyon in France. » He responded.

« When did you move here? » I asked.

« About five years ago. » He responded.

« Oh. After you got adopted? » I said.

« Yes. » He responded as his face fell.

« Are you okay? » I asked.

« Yes. I'm fine. » He said.

« No. You're not. » I said.

« How can you read me like an open book? » He asked.

« I'm just good with that stuff. » I said. « Do you want to talk about it? »

« No. » He clearly responded. « So, I didn't know you played music and had a beautiful voice. » He said to change the subject.

« I don't think I'm that good. I just like to fool around with instruments. » I responded.

« Are you kidding? You're amazing. » Austin said to me and I blushed. Hard. « Did you know you were cute when you blush? »

« Thanks. » I said awkwardly.¸

« So, what was that song you were singing? I don't recall ever hearing it. » Austin said to me.

« I-I kind of wrote it. » I admitted.

« You did? » He asked shocked.

« Yeah, I did. Well, I only wrote the chorus for now. » I said. « I don't even know if I'll keep it that way. »

« You should. It's really good. » He said smiling.

« Thanks. » I responded.

« I think I should go. Just know Ally, I didn't mean what I said this morning. I really didn't. » He said.

« It's okay. Just don't do it again. » I responded.

Then, I looked at him shyly.

« Are you ever going to tell me what happened? » I asked in an almost non audible voice.

« I don't know. I don't like talking about it. » He responded honestly. « Promise me one thing, don't try to find out on your own. »

« I promise. » I said.

« Good night Ally. » He said.

« Good night Austin. » I responded and he proceeded to climb down the ladder.

* * *

I'm glad Austin and I made up. I have a feeling he wants to tell me everything, but he's scared at the same time. I really want him to open up and things have been going great so far.

Although, he's not at school right now.

I'm in my first period right now and he's supposed to be in this class, but he's not there. I hope he's okay. Maybe he's just sick.

I'll go see him after school. That's what friends are for.

Driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing

Class is over.

I slowly grabbed all of my books and stuff and slowly walked towards the door. As I passed the door frame, Trish was waiting for me.

« Hey there. » She said to me.

« Hey Trish. » I said.

« I didn't see you this morning. » She stated.

« Yeah, I missed the bus. Mom gave me a lift and I was almost late to class. » I explained

« So? » She asked.

« What? » I asked back.

« Did you talk to Austin? » She asked me.

« I did. » I responded.

« Stop playing with me. Tell me what happened. » She impatiently asked.

« We're fine. He said he only said that to make sure Dallas would stay away from me and that he didn't mean any of it. » I explained to her and she looked relieved.

« That's great! » She exclaimed. « Dallas is an asshole who only wants to see people suffer. »

« That's what people told me. » I responded.

« So, when are you guys going on your first date? » She asked. My eyes widened.

« What? » I asked. « We only agreed to be friends. »

« Oh come on. I know you're dying to go on a date with him. » She said. I felt blood rise up to my cheeks. « See, I told you you liked him. »

« He doesn't like me like that. He has a hard time just being my friend. » I said.

« That's true. I've never seen him show affection for someone before. I've never even seen him hug a girl at school or anyone. » She said and I blushed.

She looked at me suspiciously.

« Why are you blushing? » She asked.

« No reason. » I quickly said.

« Ally. » She scolded me.

« He hugged me before. » I said.

« O-M-G » She exclaimed.

« You sound just like Piper. » I said.

« Who's Piper? » She asked.

« My best friend from Miami. » I said.

« Wait, you guys hugged? » She repeated.

« It's no big deal. » I said.

« It is. He never accepted a hug from someone. » She said.

« Actually, I accepted his hug. » I said.

« What? » She asked looking confused.

« He initiated it. » I said.

« O-M-G » She exclaimed again.

« Calm down Trish. » I said.

« This is huge. » She said. « You're special Ally. You're the first girl to ever break him. » She excitedly said.

« It's no big deal. » I said.

« Stop saying that. It is a big deal. » She said.

« Whatever. » I said. Gee thanks Austin for putting that word in my vocabulary.

* * *

I'm now in the bus waiting to arrive at my house. I kept thinking about what Trish and I talked about at the break and what Austin told me yesterday and the night before. I must be really special to him.

It makes me feel all tingly. I know I have a crush on him, but this is getting out of hand.

I know I'll be disappointed. He's not looking for that kind of relationship.

Still, I remember clearly the night he hugged me and how I felt. I really want to feel that again.

The bus stopped.

We were at my house.

I stood up and got off the bus. I walked towards the front door of my house and was about to unlock it when I heard the door open next door.

I turned around and saw Austin.

He was wearing black skinny jeans, a black buttoned-shirt and black converse.

He had two red roses in his hand.

His emotion was indescribable. He looked mad and sad at the same time. He walked towards the sidewalk and then headed I don't know where.

Curiosity got the best of me.

I literally threw my bag inside my house and grabbed my phone and my keys.

I decided to follow him.

I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it.

* * *

 **(1) I did not want to make her middle name Edgar. I think Marie sounds way better.**

 **(2) Heroes by Mans Zelmerlow (can't do the Swedish alphabet on my keyboard) . I don't own it. You should listen to it though, it's awesome!**

 **Thank you guys so much for reading this story. It means a lot to me. I also want to thank everyone who followed and favorited.**

 **Thanks to Auslly0731, Cynthiaaaa (Guest), Musicgirl15 (Guest), Hi (Guest), A fan (Guest), J (Guest), Amber (Guest), guitargirl (Guest), minimi01ara and xxSmileYoureBeautifulxx for the amazing reviews.**

 **You guys will be happy because you will learn more about Austin's part in the next chapter. You are also probably going to hate me for it, but I loved writing it. I'll update on Sunday and then on Tuesday. I update every two days for those who were wondering.**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

Amélie Dubois. 2002-2010 Fille de Caroline Grenier et François Dubois (Daughter of Caroline Grenier et François Dubois)

Who is she? Why is she important to Austin?

I walked to the other tombstone.

Caroline Grenier. 1972-2010 Mariée à François Dubois et mère aimante (Married to François Dubois and loving mother.)


	13. Oops

**Chapter 13  
Oops…**

* * *

 **As I said before, you guys will probably hate this chapter, but love it at the same time because you get to learn a bit more about Austin.**

* * *

So, I decided to follow Austin to wherever he was going. I know this is wrong and I know I kind of promised him not to try to find out anything about him on my own, but this was too tempting. I want to help him. I want to be there for him, but I need to know what happened to him.

I've been following him for twenty minutes now. I hope we'll soon arrive to where he is heading. I made sure I was far enough from him so he wouldn't suspect that someone is following him. I kept at least fifty meters between us.

Finally, Austin turned the last corner and stood in front of giant metal door. I watched him from far away. It was the entrance to a cemetery.

He got in and started walking towards a certain direction. I followed, again, but this time, I was a bit closer. I hid behind trees.

Austin stopped in front of a tombstone.

« Hey Amélie. » He said as he put one of the roses on the tombstone. « Je n'arrive pas à croire que ça fait déjà cinq ans. » (I can't believe it's already been five years.) He said something in French and I couldn't understand, but I saw tears escaping his eyes. « Tu aurais treize ans aujourd'hui. L'âge que j'avais quand c'est arrivé. Je m'en veux encore tellement. J'aurais dû faire quelque chose à la place de rester figé. Tu ne sais pas à quel point je m'en veux. Je m'ennuis beaucoup de toi et de ton sourire. Je m'ennuis des moments où tu me narguais dès que je parlais d'une fille. Parlant d'une fille, j'en ai rencontré une. Elle s'appelle Ally. Tu l'aimerais beaucoup. Elle est comme toi. Elle parle trop et elle est têtue. Je t'entends me dire que c'est mon âme sœur. Je sais que tu me narguerais. Je t'aime Amélie et je pense à toi à tous les moments de la journée. Je me sens tellement coupable. Peut-être qu'un jour je vais tout dire à Ally. Je ne sais pas si j'ai le cœur assez fort pour ça. » (You would've been thirteen now. The age I was when it all happened. I still blame myself for this. I should have done something instead of staying frozen. You have no idea how mad I am at myself. I miss you and your smile so much. I miss how you would always mess with me when I talked about a girl. Speaking of girls, I met one recently. Her name is Ally. You would like her. She's just like you. She talks way too much and she's headstrong. I hear you telling me she's probably my true love. I know you would mess with me since I told you this. I love you so much and I think about you every moment of the day. I feel so guilty for all of this. Maybe one day I'll tell Ally about this. I don't know if my heart is strong enough though.) He said and tears were now flowing on his cheeks. My heart broke. I hate seeing him like this. I understood a couple of words, but not enough to know what he was talking about. I heard my name though.

I saw Austin walk to another tombstone. Wait, are these his parents' tombstones?

« Salut Maman. » (Hi Mom.) He said. « Cinq ans. Ça fait déjà cinq que tu es partie. Je m'ennuis tellement de toi. J'adore Mimi et Mike, mais je m'ennuis de toi. Je m'ennuis de ta gentillesse et de ta tendresse. Je sais que tu ne serais pas fière de moi en ce moment. Tu me dirais que je vis dans le passé, mais je ne peux m'en empêcher. Tu ne serais pas fière de mon attitude non plus. Je ne peux m'en empêcher. Me fermer aux gens qui m'entourent est la seule façon que je ne sois pas encore blessé. Par exemple, j'ai rencontré quelqu'un. Elle s'appelle Ally. Elle me fait sentir comme si tout allait peut-être mieux aller. Tu l'aimerais beaucoup. J'en suis sûre. Je ne lui ai pas encore raconté tout ce qui s'est passé. Je ne l'ai raconté à personne à part à Mike et Mimi. C'est trop difficile d'en parler. Je t'aime et je t'aimerais toujours maman. » (Five years. It's already been five years since you were gone. I miss you so much. I love Mike and Mimi, but I miss you. I miss how nice and how gentle you were. I know you wouldn't be proud of me right now. You would tell me that I live in the past, but I cannot help it. You would be proud of my attitude either. I can't help it. Shutting out people is the only way for me to not get hurt again. Although, I did meet someone. Her name is Ally. She makes me feel like maybe, just maybe, everything will be alright. You would love her. I'm sure of it. I haven' told her about it. I haven't told anyone except for Mike and Mimi. It's too hard to talk about it. I love you and I will always love you mom.) He said and I still couldn't understand any of it.

Austin put the other rose on the tombstone and sat down in front of both of them. He stayed there for a couple of minutes with his eyes closed, but there were still tears on his cheeks.

Finally, he stood up and walked away.

I made sure he was out of sight and walked towards the tombstones.

I took a look at the first one.

Amélie Dubois. 2002-2010 Fille de Caroline Grenier et François Dubois (Daughter of Caroline Grenier and François Dubois)

Who is she? Why is she important to Austin?

I walked to the other tombstone.

Caroline Grenier. 1972-2010 Mariée à François Dubois et mère aimante (Married to François Dubois and loving mother.)

Okay, wait a second. When Austin was talking, I heard him calling Caroline «maman» which means mom. She was his mom. I'm not sure what «fille» means. I think that means daughter, but I'm not sure.

Wait, that means Austin had a sister.

Of my god.

Austin had a sister!

Wait, if his sister's last name is Dubois, does it mean Austin is not using his real name?

« Ally? » I heard someone ask from behind me.

I turned around.

Shit.

« What are you doing here? » He asked.

« I was just talking a walk. » I said nervously.

« In a graveyard? Were you following me? » He asked.

« N-no. » I stuttered.

« You were? » He asked. « Ally, you promised. »

« I'm sorry. My curiosity got the best of me. » I said.

« But you promised. » He repeated.

« I'm so sorry Austin. » I said. « I didn't mean any harm I just wanted to help you. »

« By spying on me? » He asked dryly.

« Okay, that was wrong. » I said.

« Glad we agree on that. » He said.

« Who are they? » I asked.

« Right, you don't understand French. It's better that way. » He said.

« Austin, talk to me. » I demanded.

« No. » He responded.

« No? » I repeated.

« No, you broke my trust. » He said.

« I said I'm sorry. » I said. « What else do you want me to do? » I asked.

« Leave me alone. » He said. Tears formed in my eyes.

« What? No. I'm not giving up on you. » I said.

« I trusted you Ally. I never should have. People just hurt me. » He said and tears formed in his eyes as well.

« Austin. I'm sorry. » I apologized again.

« Go. » He demanded. « Leave. »

I did so. I walked passed him and looked into his eyes. He looked so hurt. Why did I have to follow him?

I walked home and tears were still rolling down my cheeks.

A couple of strangers stopped me to make sure I was alright. I walked home and locked myself in my bedroom.

I'm such an idiot.

I let myself fall on my bed and cried into my pillows. He literally told me to leave him alone and this time, he meant it.¸

I just ruined everything.

Why did I have to follow him?

* * *

I've stayed on my bed without moving for hours. My parents came in to check on me, but I didn't tell them anything. I couldn't even speak.

I heard a knock on the door.

I didn't move.

I heard the door open.

« Ally? » The person asked.

« Trish? » I asked.

« What happened to you? » She asked me.

« I ruined everything. » I said between sobs.

« What? » She asked.

« With Austin. » I said.

« What happened? » She asked.

« I broke a promise. » I said.

« Which is? » She asked definitely confused.

« I'm promised him I would wait for his to tell me about his past instead of trying to find out myself. » I said.

« What did you do? » She asked.

« I saw him leaving his house all dress in black and with two roses in his hands. I followed him and discovered some things. » I said.

« What did you discover? » She asked.

« I don't want to talk about it. » I said to her.

« Okay. » She said.

« So, when I thought he was gone, he saw me and we had an argument. » I explained to Trish.

« Oh. » She said.

« He told me to leave him alone. Then, he told me he never should have trusted me. » I said and I started to sob again.

« Let him calm down. » She said. « I'm sure he'll come around and that he'll realize he made a mistake. » She said to make me feel better.

« I don't know Trish. He looked really mad and really hurt. » I said.

« Then, it's his lost. You're an amazing person Ally. Any boy would be lucky to have you. » She said to me.

« Thanks Trish, but I don't want any other boy. » I said.

« So, now you admit it. » She said teasing. « Now, I brought ice cream. Do you want some? »

« Sure. » I responded.

Trish and I spent the rest of the day eating ice cream and watching movies. I decided it would be better for me to watch comedy movies. We watched both Pitch Perfect **(1)** and sang along. I saw those two movies so many times. It actually made me forget about him for a bit.

* * *

When Trish left, I fell on my bed again, but this time, I fell asleep. I woke up because of my alarm.

Ugh.

I don't want to go to school.

I don't want to see him. I'd just fall apart even more.

I got up and got ready. I dressed lazily and just put on some leggings and a sweatshirt. I made a ponytail with my hair and applied a little bit of makeup.

I was not hungry, so I did not eat breakfast.

I got on the bus like usual and joined Trish and Dez at school.

« What happened to you? » Dez asked. « You look like a zombie. »

« Thanks Dez. That's really sweet of you. » I sarcastically said.

« Serously, are you okay? » He asked looking concerned.

« Not really. » I said.

« She had an argument with Austin. » Trish said.

« But you guys argue all the time? » He said confused.

« It's serious this time. He doesn't want to talk to me anymore. » I said.

« I'm sorry Ally. » Dez said.

« Thanks Dez. Can we talk about something else? » I asked them.

« Sure. Oh, do you want to hear about my pet turtle? » Dez asked.

« Okay. » I slowly said. Trish looked at me madly.

« His name is Bunny. » Dez said.

« Why would you name a turtle Bunny? » I asked.

« Because he's Dez and he's stupid. » Trish said.

« Hey! » Dez said offended.

« Anyway, I decided to give Bunny a bath yesterday. Turns out he doesn't like the taste of soap. » Dez said.

« Who does? » I asked.

« Wait? How do you know that? » Trish asked.

« Because he vomited in my hand. » Dez said.

« Ewww, gross. » I said.

« Hey Ally. » I heard a male voice say, but it wasn't Austin. I turned around.

« Elliot, hi. » I greeted him.

« So, I was wondering if maybe you'd like, if you want of course, to go like see like a movie or something. » He said pretty unsure of himself.

I opened my mouth to decline the invitation, but Trish spoke for me.

« She'd love to. » Trish said. My eyes widened.

« Really? » Elliot asked with hope in his voice. Trish looked at me and mouthed me to say yes.

« Yes. I'll go see a movie with you. » I said and he smiled.

« Great, I'll pick you up Friday at seven? » He stated and asked at the same time.

« Sure, sounds good. » I said and he walked away.

I glared at Trish.

« What? » She asked.

« I was going to say no. » I whispered.

« Think about it. » She said. « It'll help get your mind off you know who. » She said.

« Who? » Dez asked.

« I don't know Trish. » I said. « He seems like a nice guy. I don't want to use him. »

« Oh come on. It's just one date. » She said.

« Wait a minute. Why do you want me to go out with him so much? Oh my god, did you plan this? The time I saw you two talk together, were you asking him to ask me out? » I asked.

« What? » She asked. « Of course not. »

« What were you talking about then? » I asked.

« He was asking me about you. » She responded. « He wanted to know if you were interested. »

« Really? » I asked her.

« Yes, really. » She said. « We lied about the project so you wouldn't suspect a thing. »

« Okay. » I responded.

So Elliot has a crush on me. He is kind of cute, but I still think I cannot use him just to get over Austin.

We exited the cafeteria and I headed for my locker. That's when I saw him.

Our eyes met, but I quickly looked away.

His expression was like when I first met him. Hard and cold.

I, on the other hand, froze as I saw him.

« Get the fuck off my way Dawson. » He dryly said.

I couldn't move.

How could things end up like this?

He walked around me and I stayed there.

What have I done?

* * *

 **(1) I do not own Pitch Perfect**

 **Thank you guys so much for reading this chapter. I really appreciate it. I also want to thank everyone who took time to review this story. I love reading about your thoughts and your theories! I also want to give a special shout out to everyone who favorited and followed this story. And Musicgirl15, congrats on the role you got in the play :D**

 **So, college starts again for me tomorrow, so I probably won't be able to update as often during the semester. I'll do my best to write everything in the next couple of weeks, but there's a probability that I won't be able to finish writing this story before May…**

* * *

 **And now, next chapter's sneek peak:**

« Do you think that was his way of getting back at me? » I asked her.

« I think. I mean, he never showed interest in her before. » She responded. « Are you jealous? »

« What do you think? » I asked sarcastically.

« I'm glad you finally admitted it to yourself. » She said smiling.


	14. Revelations

**Chapter 14  
Revelations**

* * *

I was still frozen in place. Is that where we are at now?

I still can't believe it.

It's not like I revealed what he told me to anyone. I just followed him.

I just wanted to help him.

Tears filled my eyes again.

I walked to the nearest bathroom and locked myself in one of the stalls.

Funny how I've never cried at school before and now Austin managed to make me cry twice in the same week.

How did my life get so fucked up?

I texted Trish to tell her I was going to be late to class.

Why?

Austin was in that class.

That means I have to face his cold self again.

I have to get him to forgive me, but how?

When I felt like I was done crying, I made sure my eyes weren't too puffy and walked to class.

I opened the door.

« You're late Miss Dawson. » The teacher scolded me.

« I'm sorry. Girl problem. » I said to the teacher and made sure no one else could hear me.

I sat beside Trish.

« You okay? » She whispered.

« Yeah, I'll be fine. » I whispered back.

I glanced at Austin.

Cassidy was sitting beside him.

She looked at him flirtatiously, but it seems like he couldn't care less.

I saw her touch him suggestively, but he didn't even wince. It's like he wasn't even there.

She looked furious. Honestly, that was hilarious.

She scooted closer and he scooted farther. It was pathetic, but it made me feel weird somehow.

I felt like I was burning up, but I did not feel angry. I really wanted to slap her right now. Austin is mine.

Wait.

What?

Again?

Wait, am I jealous?

Oh hell, I am jealous.

I think he noticed me staring, because he suddenly stopped rejecting her. He was letting her touch him. She even rested her head on his shoulder and he let her do it.

I poked Trish's elbow and motioned to her to look at them.

« What the fuck? » She whispered.

« Something's not right. » I said.

« Miss Dawson and Miss De la Rosa, could you please stop disrupting my class? » The teacher asked sternly.

I glanced back at Austin and saw him smirking.

Is he doing this on purpose? Is he trying to annoy me? Oh my god, that's his way of getting back at me.

I looked at the teacher and tried to ignore Austin. If I don't show any reaction, he'll probably stop.

* * *

School ended about an hour ago. Trish was at my house and my parents weren't. We were eating ice cream and watching a movie.

« Do you think that was his way of getting back at me? » I asked her.

« I think. I mean, he never showed interest in her before. » She responded. « Are you jealous? »

« What do you think? » I asked sarcastically.

« I'm glad you finally admitted it to yourself. » She said smiling.

« It doesn't matter anymore. He doesn't want to talk to me. » I said.

« Give him time. » She said.

I heard a knock on the door.

I walked towards it and opened it.

« Dez, hi. » I greeted him.

« You won't believe what I just saw. » He said panting.

« Were you running? » I asked

« Yes. » He said.

« What happened? » I asked as Trish walked towards us.

« Austin and Cassidy. » He said.

« I know. They've been acting weird since this morning. » Trish said.

« No. I saw them. » He said.

« You saw them what? » Trish asked impatiently.

« I saw them kissing. » He finally said.

« What? » I shouted. « You saw them KISSING? »

« Ally, calm down. » Trish said.

« How is that possible? He told her he didn't like her. » I said.

« He told that to you too. » Trish said.

« Son of a bitch. Was he playing with me the whole time? » I rhetorically asked.

« I don't know Ally. » Trish and Dez said in unison.

« Anyway, you have someone else now. » Trish said.

« Elliot? » I asked. « You really think I like him? I was going to decline his offer. He's a nice guy, but I don't want to date him. »

« Be reasonable Ally. Do you really think you have a chance with mister problems? » She asked.

« It doesn't mean I have to date someone else. I'm okay with being single. » I said to them.

« Just think about it. » Trish said.

« Fine. » I responded.

* * *

Trish and Dez stayed for dinner and we ordered pizza.

They didn't mention Austin and Elliot for the rest of the evening and we just watched movies and did homework.

They left about three hours ago and my parents arrived an hour ago, but they already went to bed. They said their day was really tiring and that they needed to rest.

It's almost midnight now and I can't sleep.

I'm thinking about all the possibilities to Austin's action. Would he really kiss her?

Does he like her?

I walked out on my balcony and leaned on the railing looking at the river.

I remember seeing Austin there after he had a fit. That's the second time he was actually nice to me. That's the first time he opened up to me about his past.

I liked this Austin.

What happened to him?

As I was about to walk inside, a noise startled me and then a voice.

« Ayoye donc câlice. » (Fuck, ouch.) I heard the voice.

I looked everywhere and tried to find the source of the noise.

I finally notice a blond person a.k.a. Austin lying on his stomach on the grass. It looked like he tripped over something. It looked like a tree root or a rock.

He tried to get up. He succeeded, but he couldn't walk in a straight line.

Wait? Was he drunk?

I finally noticed a bottle in his hand. It looked like rum.

I saw Austin trip and fall again, but he didn't get up.

I entered my room, put a sweater on and walked outside.

I walked directly towards him.

He wasn't moving.

The bottle of rum was almost empty and it was on the ground right beside him.

Did he drink it all?

What if he's unconscious?

What if he has alcohol poisoning?

What if he's about to die?

I shook his shoulder quite violently.

« Austin. » I said. « Austin. »

« Wake up. » I said a little louder.

Then, I saw him squirm and he slowly opened his eyes.

« Oh, hey Ally. » He said between hiccups.

« What happened to you? » I asked.

« Sometimes, I like to pretend I'm a pirate and drink a whole bottle of rum. » He said and he chuckled.

« A pirate? » I asked.

« Yes, like Hook in Once Upon A Time. » He said.

He reached for the bottle, but I took it away from him.

« Hey, give me that. I want to drink the rest. » He said.

« No. You are not drinking the rest. » I said.

He laughed.

« What? » I asked.

« You look like an old lady when you're mad. » He said. Ouch.

« Austin, why did you get drunk? » I asked.

« I told you. I want to be a pirate like Jack Sparrow. » He said.

« You told me you wanted to be a pirate like Hook. » I said.

« Whatever. » He responded.

« I see that word hasn't left your vocabulary. » I said.

« You're cute when you're sarcastic. » He said. I blushed. They say only drunk people and children speak the truth.

« We need to get you inside. » I said to him.

« No. I want to look at the stars. » He said.

« Another time. Now, you need to rest. » I said.

« No. I think there's something romantic about the stars. » He said. What?

« Why? » I asked.

« I don't know. » He responded.

« Is Austin Moon a hopeless romantic? » I asked teasing.

« No. I don't believe in love. » He said in a baby voice.

« Why not? » I asked disappointed.

« He said he loved us. After what he did, I don't believe in love. » He admitted. Who's _he_?

I decided to let it go. I'm sure Austin would be furious if he learned that his drunk self told me secrets.

« Let's go inside. » I said.

« Do you believe in love Ally? » He asked.

« I do. » I responded with the truth. « I think that two people who are meant to be together will always find each other. Just like Snow White and Prince Charming. »

I saw him grimace.

« I don't like them. They're too gullible. » He said.

« True. » I responded. « The door is locked. Do you have your keys? » I asked him.

« Maybe. » He said as he raised his hand as high as he could and out of my reach.

« Austin, give them to me. » I said. Wow. I feel like I am talking to a dog.

« You have to get them. » He said smirking. He liked to annoy me even if he was drunk. How convenient.

I jumped and tried to reach for the keys. That led me to no good.

In fact, that led me to be pressed up against Austin and a wall. He was standing way to close to me and he smelled like alcohol. That would've been pleasant if he wasn't drunk.

Austin's hands were by his side now and his guard was down. He was staring at me. He was staring into my eyes. He was leaning in.

I took advantage of that and took the keys in his hand. I freed myself from his grip and opened the door.

« Gotchya. » I said.

« Damn it Ally. » He said.

« I really wanted to kiss you. » He said.

« That's just the alcohol speaking. You're mad at me, remember? » I asked him.

« I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. » He stated.

« What? » I asked. « Why? »

« Because I let you in. I let myself get attached. » He said.

« You've told me that before. » I said.

« I know, but I realized something else when I was at the cemetery. I want you. I want us to be a thing. I pushed you away because I was scared of that thought. » He said.

« You know, you're quite eloquent for a drunk person. » I said.

« Can I have my bottle now? » He asked.

« No, you mister, are going to bed. » I said.

« But I don't wanna. » He whined. « Oh oh. » He said.

« What? » I asked.

« I'm gonna be- » He started to say as he ran outside and puked in the bushes.

After a couple of minutes, he finally got up and agreed to go to bed.

He started undressing in front of me.

« What are you doing? » I asked.

« Getting ready for bed. » He said. « You've seen me like this before. »

He let himself fall on the bed and he closed his eyes.

I found a blanket and put it on him.

« Good night Austin. » I murmured and I left the house to go back to mine.

* * *

I got up from my bed and started to get ready.

I still had images of drunk Austin in my mind.

He acted like a 5 year old. It was kind of hilarious.

I also kept thinking about one thing in particular.

He said he didn't believe in love because of what he did, but he never said who _he_ was.

His life seems so complicated.

He's adopted. I think he has a sister, but she's dead and his mom is dead.

What happened to them?

I also know that Austin lived in France and that he moved here after it (whatever it is) all happened.

He doesn't believe in love and he's obviously afraid of his feelings.

I feel like the more I find out, the more complicated it is, the more confused I am.

I ate breakfast and then took the bus to school.

Once I entered the building, I came face to face with the one and only Austin Moon.

« How's your head? » I asked.

« What? » He asked. « Fine, why? »

« I mean, chugging that bottle of rum last night must not be nice for you this morning. » I said and winked.

« How do you know about that? » He asked dryly. « Wait, don't answer. Like the meddling person you are, you are the one who brought me back to my bed. » He supposed sarcastically.

« You guessed correctly. » I said to him.

« I told you to leave me alone. » He said. « I'm fucking mad at you. »

« Are you sure? I thought you were mad at yourself. » I said.

« What? » He asked. « Wait, I told you things last night, didn't I? »

« Kind of. » I responded honestly. « You didn't tell me anything too personal though. »

« What did I tell you? » He asked through gritted teeth.

« You told me you were mad at yourself for letting me in, that you wanted to kiss me and that you didn't believe in love because of what he did. You didn't tell me who that is though. » I explained as he looked at me with wide eyes.

« Anything else? » He asked madly.

« You told me you wanted us to be a thing, but I believe it was just the alcohol speaking. » I said.

« Yeah, it probably was. I don't want a girlfriend. » He said. Somehow, my heart sunk as he said those words.

« Care to tell me why you were drunk? » I asked.

« That doesn't concern you. » He responded. « Besides, I might be mad at myself for letting you in, but I'm also mad at you for breaking a promise. » He said.

« I told you I was sorry. » I said.

« Sorry isn't gonna change anything. » He said.

« What else is there to do? » I asked him

For once, he looked speechless.

« My thought's exactly. » I said.

He looked irritated and walked away.

Well, I think that went better than expected. I thought he was going to snap or pin me against a locker again to threaten me.

* * *

 **Hey guys! That was chapter fourteen for this story. Thank you so much for reading, reviewing favoriting and following. It means so much to me. Now, I have time to write in the next couple of days since school isn't starting too roughly. Therefore, I'll be able to update in the next couple of days. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The two next chapters were super fun to write and no, I won't post them now because I want to give myself time to write and have a couple of chapters in bank! :)**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

He got closer to me and leaned in.

To my surprise, he didn't kiss me. Well, he kissed my cheek.

« Good night Ally. » He said.

 **(I know it's rather short, but I would be giving too much away)**


	15. Friday at Seven

**Chapter 15  
Friday at Seven**

* * *

 **I think you guys are going to enjoy this chapter a lot. Things are finally starting to happen if you know what I mean.**

* * *

I haven't really talked to Austin for the rest of the week. It doesn't seem like he wants to kill me anymore, but he's not really talking to me either.

I think that's progress. I really want us to be friends again. I messed up. I know, but I want to make it up to him.

Also, today is my date with Elliot. I'm not really in the mood to go on a date with him. I didn't even want to go on a date with him in the first place, but Trish obligated me.

Sure, Elliot seems like a really nice guy, but I don't feel that spark. You know, when two people meet and it's like they're the only ones in the world. Just like Snow White and Prince Charming in Once Upon A Time. They hit it off pretty much immediately. I don't feel that with Elliot. I'm still going to give him a chance, because he looks like a sweet caring guy, but I still find something odd about it. It all seemed so forced.

School today was okay. I feel like more and more people are whispering when they are around me. I don't know what kind of rumors is making its way around, but it's probably not very nice to hear. Maybe it's about that kiss Austin and Cassidy shared. It's true. He told me about it. It was the only real conversation we've had this week. He seemed more like himself and not like the Austin who wants to kill everyone.

It was a decent conversation and he didn't seem mad at me. I think he wants to be mad at me, but his heart is telling him otherwise, because he apologized to me for kissing her. Weird right?

Trish thinks he said that because he felt guilty. Guilty of what? I don't know. Well, Trish thinks that deep down, he's falling for me and that's why he apologized.

I didn't realize about it when I was talking to him, but when I think about it. It makes sense.

 _« Hey Austin. » I greeted him._

 _« Oh, hey Alls. » He said to me._

 _« Listen, there's something I need to ask you. » I said._

 _« That can't be good. » He said joking._

 _« Dez said he saw you and Cassidy kiss. Is it true? » I asked him. I really needed to know._

 _« Yeah. It's true. » He said and my face probably fell, because he started to ramble. « But she kissed me. I swear. I was telling her to back off, but she wouldn't. I know I let her get close to me in class, but it was because I was mad at you. Not because I actually liked it. It was my way of getting back at you. I know it was wrong and I am sorry. But I swear, she kissed me, not the other way around. I would never do that. I hate her. I hate girls like her. I pushed her away as soon as her lips touched mine. It was awful. It was sloppy. It was like she wanted to have sex with me right there. Where's the romance in that? I mean, I'm not a hopeless romantic or anything, but that didn't turn me on at all. It was just creepy and horrible and-_

 _I cut him off by putting a finger on his lips._

 _« It's okay Austin. I get it, you don't have to ramble. » I said._

 _« I just want you to know that I didn't initiate it. I never intended for that to happen. I'm sorry Alls. That's why I was drunk last night. » He said._

 _« Why are you apologizing? » I asked._

 _« Because it upset you. » He said._

 _« Whaaaat? » I asked in a high voice._

 _« Don't deny it. » He said._

 _« No, Austin, you got it all wrong. If you want to date, date. You don't need my permission. » I said to him._

 _« I don't want to date her. » He said._

 _« I know, but you don't need my permission to see girls. We're just friends. Well, are we even friends? Anyway, if you like her, go after her. » I rambled._

 _«I don't want her. I don't want to be in a relationship right now. » He said. « How about you? »_

 _« Well. » I said on another high note._

 _« What? » He asked surprised._

 _« I kind of have a date Friday night. » I said to him._

 _His face fell. I saw his jaw clench and then his fist. He looked angry. His whole body stiffened. This isn't good._

 _« With who? » He asked through gritted teeth._

 _« Elliot. » I said. « He's in a couple of my classes. »_

 _« Well, good for you. » He said through gritted teeth. Somehow, I knew it bugged him. « I'm happy for you. »_

 _« Thanks. » I responded. I don't even know if I am happy about that myself. I'm not sure I like the guy that way._

 _« I'll see you later. » He said and he literally stormed off._

I replayed this scene in my mind a couple of times and I realized something. He was jealous. He didn't like the fact that I had a date. It was obvious with his body expression. I don't understand how I didn't pick that up right away, but now that Trish pointed it out, it's just so obvious.

So, since he learned about the date, he hadn't spoken to me. I don't know if he's mad at me because I'm seeing someone else or if it's still because I betrayed him.

Anyway, I still need to get ready for my date tonight. I was thinking I should wear something cute, but not too extravagant. I went through my closet and came across the dress I wore the dinner I wanted revenge on Austin. It somehow made me smile. Damn it.

I looked through my closet again and found the perfect dress. It's elegant, but it doesn't look like I'm trying too hard. It's black and there's a belt around the waist. Anyway, it's pretty, but not too pretty.

I decided to put some light makeup on. I'm not the one who usually wears lots a makeup and honestly, I like to keep my money for other things like musical instruments or cds or stuff like that. I put a nice simple necklace on and some earrings that aren't too big or flashy.

My mom was really happy that I finally had a date. It's true I've never been on an official date before. She was happy for me, but when I told her about it. She told me something I didn't want to hear.

 _« Hey mom, I'm going out Friday night. » I told her._

 _« Okay, with Trish? » She asked me._

 _« No. A boy asked me out. » I said shyly._

 _« Oh really? Who? » She asked._

 _« His name is Elliot. » I said and I saw something in her eyes. It looked like disappointment._

 _« Okay. How do you know him? » She asked me._

 _« We have a couple of classes together. He's a really nice guy. » I added._

 _« Well, good for you. » She said smiling. «Honestly though, I was hoping you were going out with Austin. »_

 _« What? Why? » I asked a bit surprised._

 _« I don't know. I just felt like you guys were really hitting it off. Besides, you would look so cute together. » She said._

 _« Mom! » I scolded her. « I have a date with Elliot. » I reminded her._

 _« I know and I hope you'll have fun. » She said._

 _« What? » My dad asked. « My daughter has a date with a guy? She's too young to date. »_

 _« She's going to be seventeen in a couple of months Lester. She's almost old enough to drive. She's old enough to date. »_

 _« I know. » He said with teary eyes. « She's growing up too fast. »_

 _« I'll always be your little girl, dad. » I said and that made him smile._

Okay, so Elliot should be at my house in an hour. He got his licensed last week, so he's able to drive us to wherever he wants to go. He never told me what we were doing and that's why I'm still not sure about my outfit.

What if he decided that we were going to play paintball? Or that we were going in the Old Québec walking.

I am a bit nervous though.

* * *

I am currently sitting in Elliot's car. It's nothing too flashy. It's just a blue Mazda 3, but the color is very pretty. Not as pretty as Austin's car though.

Damn it. Again. Why can't I stop thinking about him?

The car ride was a bit awkward. Elliot is a man of few words. He looked a bit nervous. The radio was playing, but he chose classical music. I have nothing against that kind of music and I do enjoy it, but it made everything awkward.

Once we arrived at our destination: a little café in the Old Québec, Elliot parked his car and we got out. He opened the door for me, which was sweet. It was also really cliché.

We entered the café and a waitress guided us to an available table.

The place was really nice. It wasn't too fancy, but it wasn't Tim Hortons either.

The place looked really nice. It wasn't too decorated and the walls weren't too flashy. It looked rustic and I loved that.

« So, have you been here before? » Elliot asked me.

« I haven't actually. That's a really nice café. » I said to him.

« Well, I'm glad you like it. » He said smiling. He has a beautiful smile though.

« So, Elliot, tell me more about yourself. » I asked him. I know, it's really cliché, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. I don't know him and it seems like we don't have that much in common.

« Well, I have on sister and two brothers and I've lived here all my life. » He said still smiling. « What about you? » He asked me.

« Well, I was born in Miami and I moved here this summer. I don't have any siblings. » I responded.

The conversation went like that for about half an hour and it was getting kind of boring.

He's nice and all, but it's not that exciting. I'm going to sound cliché, but I want to feel fireworks. I want to feel butterflies in my stomach. I haven't felt any of that since Elliot picked me up.

We ate dinner and didn't talk that much.

There was a small television in the café diffusing sports and Elliot seemed mesmerized by it. I felt like he wasn't enjoying himself that much.

Once we paid the bill (we agreed that we'd both pay for our own food), we exited the café and walked on the Terrasse Dufferin. I've been there once before. It's so pretty. You can see the immensity of the St-Lawrence River and the city on the other side. It's called Lévis. Maybe I could visit that place someday. It looks really nice. As we were walked, we stopped to get an ice cream cone and sat on a bench.

« This view is beautiful. » I said looking at the river.

« I know. I love this place. This city is so wonderful. » He said with a wide smile. « There's this festival in the summer where people dress and act like people did when they first discovered this place in 1608. I've been to it a couple of times. It's so amazing. »

« It sounds fun. Getting to wear outfits from that time must be really cool. » I said to him.

Okay, so our conversations were nice, but not exciting. We talked for about another hour before he took me home.

I got off his car and he followed me to the porch.

« Well, I've had a great time tonight Ally. » Elliot said smiling.

« Me too. » I said. More like lied. I wasn't bored. It just didn't feel like a date.

« I'll see you on Monday? » He asked.

« Definitely. » I said.

He got closer to me and leaned in.

To my surprise, he didn't kiss me. Well, he kissed my cheek.

« Good night Ally. » He said.

« Good night Elliot. » I said to him and he drove away.

Him kissing my cheek made me feel, well…

Nothing.

Greaty great great.

I knew I shouldn't have gone out with him.

He's a nice guy, but not someone I want to date.

* * *

I dropped my things in the house and I noticed my parents weren't there.

I needed time to think, so I decided to go to that spot near the river where Austin admitted he was adopted.

I walked there and sat on one of the biggest rocks.

Why do I feel like I'm never going to find my other half? I know I sound cliché, but I want to find that one person who can take my breath away.

After about twenty minutes, I heard footsteps behind me.

I didn't even bother to turn around.

I knew exactly who it was.

He sat down on the rock beside me.

The only thing I didn't expect was the bottle of vodka in his hand.

« Hey. » He murmured.

« Hey. » I responded without turning around.

« Aren't you supposed to be with Elliot? » He asked nonchalantly.

« Not anymore. He took me home half an hour ago. » I said. He opened the bottle and took a sip right out of it.

« Oh. » He said.

« How did it go? » He asked.

« Okay I guess. » I responded vaguely.

« You seem convinced. » He said chuckling and then he took another sip of vodka.

« Do you have to get drunk right now? » I asked.

« No. I guess not. » He said as he closed the bottle and put it on the ground.

« Why did you want to get drunk? » I asked.

« To forget for a moment. » He said.

« Forget what? » I asked.

« So, what happened on your date? » He asked completely dodging my question.

« Nothing much. He doesn't talk that much. Nothing was exciting. I didn't feel fireworks. » I said and he raised an eyebrow.

« What? » He asked. « You do believe in that stuff? Like love at first sight. » He asked me and he chuckled.

« I want to believe it's true, but I guess it's not. » I said.

« Life isn't perfect Ally. » He said. «If it was, I would still have my family. »

My eyes-widened a bit. He's never that direct when he talks to me.

Wait, at the cemetery, he never mentioned his dad. What happened to him? I decided not to push the question further tonight though.

« I know. I'm sorry I'm dumping my problems on you. They're not comparable to the problems you have. » I said and he stiffened a bit.

Then, he didn't something I never would have expected.

He scooted closer and put his left arm around me. As soon as he did, I scooted closer too and rested my head on his shoulder.

« Don't discourage, ever since I met you, you gave me hope. Since I met you, I have the feeling that things might be alright. Things will get better Alls. »

« You really think so? » I asked.

« Yeah, I do. Thanks to you. » He said and he tighten his grip around me.

There. I felt them.

Fireworks.

* * *

 **Thank you guys so much for reading my story and this chapter. A lot of things are going to happen in the next couple of chapters, so brace yourself. You'll get to learn a lot more about Austin, but not everything, because I'm that evil ;) Anyway, I think this chapter and the next couple of chapters were my favorite ones to write. I love writing a more sensible Austin.**

 **Thank you again for your amazing reviews. I love reading them so much. I also want to thank you all for favoriting and following.**

* * *

 **Without further ado, here is next chapter's sneek peak (it's going to be out on Sunday probably) :**

 _Then, we both started to lean in until our foreheads were touching. His nose was resting against mine and I felt his warm breath on my face. It tickled._

 _Finally, we both leaned in. He put his hands on my waist as I put my arms around his neck._

 _Finally. I thought._

 _Our lips were centimeters apart._


	16. Fireworks

**Chapter 16  
Fireworks**

* * *

Austin and I stayed glued together for a long time. We were disturbed by my ringtone. My parents wanted me to get home. I didn't want to. Somehow, Austin felt like home.

That's true.

I came to the realisation while we were cuddling. Yeah you can call that cuddling.

I am in love with Austin Moon.

Austin and I stayed silent for the entire time. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence though.

We were there and we were enjoying each other's company.

It felt just right.

This is the kind of relationship I want to have with a guy.

Once my mom called, we got up and proceeded to go back home.

 _« Alright, I guess I should go. » I said to him._

 _« Already? » He asked almost whining._

 _« Yeah. My parents want me to go home. » I said._

 _« Okay, I'll walk you then. » He said with a warm smile. I don't see that smile very often, but when I do, it makes me melt._

 _I agree with Piper now. I got it really really bad._

 _We got up and started to walk._

 _It didn't take long for his hand to find mine._

 _He intertwined our fingers and I felt bolts of energy running through my entire body._

 _I felt all tingly._

 _I guess that's how being in love feels._

 _We walked for ten minutes and finally reached our houses._

 _We were standing between both of them without talking._

 _None of us wanted to let the other one go._

 _« Well, I guess we should go in. » Austin said as he faced me._

 _« I guess. » I said playfully while I played with his hand._

 _« So… » He said._

 _« So… » I repeated._

 _Then, we both started to lean in until our foreheads were touching. His nose was resting against mine and I felt his warm breath on my face. It tickled._

 _Finally, we both leaned in. He put his hands on my waist as I put my arms around his neck._

 _Finally. I thought._

 _Our lips were centimeters apart._

 _That's when I felt cold._

 _Austin backed up._

 _« I'm sorry Alls… I just… I can't… » He said as he backed up and literally ran to his house._

 _« Austin wait. » I shouted, but he didn't turn around._

 _Damn it._

 _What happened?_

 _He can be so complicated sometimes. I thought he really wanted to kiss me._

 _Something is holding him. Something is keeping him from expressing his emotions._

So, now, I am home and I keep thinking about the way he acted. It's like he realized he was letting his emotions take control, so he shut everything out.

I did not expect this day to end up like this.

I knew I didn't like Elliot in a romantic way, but I didn't expect Austin to almost kiss me.

I decided that I wanted to talk to Austin. Now.

I went outside and looked for that ladder. If I remember correctly, Austin's room also has a balcony. I'll do what he did.

When I found the ladder, I climbed it and pulled myself on Austin's balcony.

I twisted the doorknob and it wasn't locked.

I entered the room to see Austin sitting on his bed with a bottle of alcohol and teary eyes.

« Hey. » I said as I walked closer to him.

He looked started for a second and then his expression softened.

« Hey. » He responded.

« Are you okay? » I asked him.

« Do I look okay? » He asked.

« What's wrong? » I asked.

« Everything. » He stated.

I sat next to him and put a hand on his thigh.

« It's okay Austin. You can tell me anything. » I said softly. « You can trust me. »

« I know. » He said.

« Then talk to me. » I said. « It always makes me feel better to talk to someone when I'm upset. »

« This is hard for me. » He said.

« What is? » I asked.

« Opening up to someone. No one except my adoptive parents and psychologists were able to get me to talk. Even then, it took a lot of efforts. » He explained.

« I won't force you, but just know I want to help you. » I said to him.

« It's hard to control emotions. I wish I could just push them away. » He said. I was startled and then realised that was what was upsetting him.

« Emotions are what guides people through life. It's a completely normal thing Austin. » I said to him.

« I know, but sometimes, it's hard to accept them. There are some emotions you don't want to feel. » He said.

« I understand. Some emotions aren't pleasant, but others are amazing. They make you feel better instantly. » I said thinking of earlier tonight when we were near the river.

« I know, but those emotions are the ones that can destroy you. » He said.

« What do you mean? » I asked confused.

« Take love for example. » He said. « It might seem like one of the best feeling in the world, but it can destroy you. »

« Love itself cannot destroy you. » I said. « Love is the way you feel when you look at someone you truly care about. Love is how you're willing to give everything for someone. Love is the butterflies you feel in your stomach when the person you love touches you or talks to you. Love itself cannot destroy you because it makes you happy. » I explained to him. « Betrayal destroys you. Lies destroy you, but not love. »

« I guess you're right. » He said as his eyes got teary again.

« It's gonna be okay Austin. You told me yourself. » I said to him.

« I know. » He said.

« Now, there's something I want to ask you. » I said to him.

« You want to know why I backed off, don't you? » He rhetorically asked staring into space.

« Well yeah. » I said shyly.

« It's not that I didn't want to kiss you. » He said looking at everything, but me.

« It's not? » I asked surprised.

« No. I told you earlier. I have problems with accepting my feelings. » He said to me.

« You don't accept that you're attracted to me? » I asked and his eyes widened.

« No. I know that's true and I'm at peace with that. » He said and I blushed. Hard. He just told me he liked me. Well, pretty much.

« I have a difficulty with trusting people and getting attached to them. I told you before. » He said.

« I know. I remember. » I said to him.

« Figuratively, my heart wanted this, but my head told me no to protect me. » He said.

« Protect you from what? » I asked.

« From getting hurt again. From betrayal. » He said as a tear rolled down his cheek.

« What happened to make you feel that way? » I asked and he stiffened. I know he did not want to talk about this.

He stood up and walked towards his dresser. He took a frame and brought it to me.

He gave it to me and I looked at all of its details.

There was a woman, a little girl and a little boy in the picture.

The little girl must have been about five years old and the boy ten. I believe that's their mother. The little boy was obviously Austin. I'd recognize him anywhere.

« That's your mom and your sister, right? » I asked.

« Yeah. » He said.

« What happened to them? » I asked him.

« They're gone. » He said and more tears were rolling down his cheeks.

« I know, I mean, why? » I asked.

« I'd rather not talk about it. » He said.

« Okay. » I said. « Tell me something about them. »

« My sister's name was Amélie. She was the nicest little girl you'd ever meet. My mother's name was Caroline. She was a really gentle person. I never saw her do anything bad. » He said as tears flowed on his cheeks.

« I'm so sorry for your loss Austin. » I said.

« Thank you Ally. » He said.

Something was bothering me though. His sister's last name; It's not the same as his. Did he change his name?

« What is it? » He asked.

« What? » I asked.

« That look. I know something's on your mind. » He said. « Ask away. »

« It's just, when I went to the cemetery; I noticed that you don't have the same last name as your sister. » I said.

« That's true. » He said.

« What's your real name? » I asked him.

He sighed and it looked like he was battling in his head whether to tell me or not.

He stayed quiet for a couple of minutes and so did I.

« Nathan. » he said.

« What? » I asked him.

« My real name his Nathan. » He said. « Nathan Dubois. »

« Why did you change your name? » I asked him.

« Mike, Mimi and I wanted a fresh start. When we moved here, I asked them to legally change my name. So, my name is Austin Moon, but my biological parents called me Nathan Dubois. » He explained.

« That makes sense. » I said.

We were sitting on his bed and we kept quiet.

« Well, I guess I better get going, Nathan. » I said.

« Don't call me that. Please. » He begged me.

« Why not? » I asked.

« It reminds me of my past. It reminds me of _him._ » He spat.

Then, he started to cry.

« I miss them so much. » He said.

I put my arms around him and held him close to me.

« I know Austin. I know. It's gonna be alright. » I said as I gently rubbed his back.

He put his arms around me and held me tighter too.

Here they are.

Fireworks.

After a couple of minutes, Austin calmed down and we pulled apart.

« I guess I'll see you tomorrow? » I stated and asked at the same time.

« Sure. Let's do something fun. » He said.

« Sure. » I responded. « I'll call you. »

« Great. » He said with a faint smile.

We both stood up.

Honestly, I did not want to go, but I knew my parents would look for me.

I got on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek.

« Good night Austin. » I said to him.

« Good night Alls. » He said and I saw him blush.

I walked on the balcony and climbed down the ladder.

* * *

I thought all night about the conversation I had with Austin. It finally felt real, like it was the real him. There were no walls there. I'm pretty sure he was completely honest with me.

And the fireworks, I can't ignore them. I know I sound really cheesy. I can't ignore that feeling either. It felt so good. I can't believe his touch can make me feel that way. The simplest thing makes me swoon when I'm with him.

I was in my room and I was getting ready to see Austin. He said he wanted to do something that would take his mind off his problems. He decided to take me to Québec's Aquarium. He said it's really cool and that I have to see it at least once in my life.

I don't find that the most amazing thing ever, but I get to spend time with him, so I'm not complaining.

I was walking down the stairs when I felt my phone vibrate in the back pocket of my skinny jeans.

« Hello. » I said as I pressed the answer button.

« Hey Ally. » Trish greeted me.

« Hey Trish. » I responded.

« I wanted to know if you wanted to go shopping this afternoon? » She asked.

« Sorry, I can't. I'm busy. » I said without elaborating more.

« You told me yesterday you weren't doing anything today. » She whined.

« Something has come up. » I said.

« Right, Elliot. Are you seeing him again today? » She asked with a glimpse of hope in her voice.

« What? » I asked. « No. »

« Wait. » She said. « How was your date last night? »

« Okay. » I said honestly.

« Just okay? » She asked.

« Yeah. I'm not that into him. » I said.

« Why not? » She asked.

« He's a nice guy, but he doesn't make me feel anything special. » I said.

« Life isn't a fairy tale Ally. You aren't going to find love at first sight. You aren't going to feel butterflies and fireworks in your stomach. » She said.

« Have you ever been in love Trish? » I asked.

« No. » She responded.

« Then how do you know it doesn't feel like that? » I asked her.

« Because this is what movies want you to believe. » She said. « Anyway, I'm pretty sure you don't know any better. » She said.

« Well, one thing I know is that I don't like Elliot that way. » I told her.

« Just give him a chance. » She said.

« Why do you want me to date him so bad? » I asked her over the phone. « You want to get me away from Austin, don't you? » I asked her.

« No. It's not that. I want you to be happy and I don't think Austin can make anyone happy. » She said. Man, I love Trish, but she's being a bitch about Austin.

« Whatever. » I said. « I'll see you at school. » I said dryly.

« Ally.- she started to say, but I hung up.

Why does everyone think Austin is a monster? He is not.

I walked outside and knocked on my neighbors' door.

« Hey Alls. » Austin greeted with a wide smile.

« Did I ever tell you that you have the most amazing smile I've ever seen? » I asked him.

I saw him blush slightly. « Thanks Ally. »

« It's a pity you don't smile more often. » I said to tease him.

« Yeah yeah… I know. » He said. « Ready to go? » He asked me.

« I am. » I said. « Why did you choose the Aquarium? » I asked him as we walked towards his car.

He got behind the wheel while I got on the passenger seat.

« Did you hear me? » I asked him.

« I did. » He said.

« What is it? » I asked him. « Is something wrong? »

« No. it's just, I chose this place because it's the first happy memory I have after we moved back here. » He said.

« Really? » I asked.

« Yes. » He said.

« Thank you Austin. For sharing this with me. » I said to him and he smiled again.

« That's because I trust you. » He said as he started the engine.

« Why do you? » I asked.

« I don't know actually. I just do. There's something about you that makes me trust you. That's why I pushed you away at first. I felt it when I first saw you. I knew you would break me. I didn't want that. » He explained.

« And now you do? » I asked shocked.

« I came to the realisation that someone would be able to break me eventually and I wanted it to be you. » He said.

That statement made me smile.

« You know you're cute when you're flustered? » He stated and asked at the same time.

« I think you've told me before. » I said to him.

Austin drove us to the aquarium and the conversation was lighter. We didn't talk about anything important. We just fooled around and talked about anything. It was really nice.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I cannot wait to share the rest of the story with you guys. In a couple of chapters, you'll finally know what happened to Austin. I was able to write quite a lot in the past week and I hope I'll be able to write like that in the next couple of weeks.**

 **Anyway, thank you guys so much for reading my story. You have no idea how much it means to me. I also want to thank all of the readers that review every chapter. Thank you so much for following this story and for your awesome comments.**

 **I also want to give a shout out to ever guest that reads this story. I believe you check pretty often to see the updates and just thinking you guys make that effort makes me smile. Thank you so much! :D**

 **P.S. Did you guys see THE picture Riker posted last week? That was quite nice. (If you saw it, you know what I'm talking about.)**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

At some point, I felt him (Austin) nuzzle up in my hair. I just let my head rest on his chest.

Fireworks were exploding inside me.

« Ally? » I heard a voice ask, but it wasn't Austin's.

We pulled apart and I turned around to the last person I wanted to see.

« Elliot. What are you doing here? » I asked him.


	17. Something Fishy

**Chapter 17  
Something Fishy**

* * *

Austin and I have been visiting the aquarium for about half an hour now. It is really pretty and seeing all of those animals is awesome. It's not the best place in the world, but it's sweet and Austin kept telling me stories about the first time he came here. He told me about everything he found funny as a thirteen year old.

We acted like the almost kiss never happened. Even though I really wanted that kiss to happen, I respect his wishes. I know he's not ready to accept someone that important in his life for now and I feel like being his friend is the best option.

I know for a fact that he likes me in a more-than-a-friend way, but he' scared of that feeling. I never told him about my feelings. I don't want to scare him.

Those feelings keep getting stronger and stronger every moment I'm with him.

I feel like being here made Austin feel relieved. I don't know why, I felt like it was the real him that was with me and not the Austin with the walls.

I feel like he was happy by finally being himself. And that made me happy.

We reached some place and he stopped me from walking by taking my hand between his.

« What? » I asked him confused.

« This place. » He said.

I looked around and notice we are near the seals.

« What about this place? » I asked him.

« When I first came here, Mimi and Mike took me to see the talent show with the seals. I saw the seals do amazing tricks and then I saw that one seal. It looked young or tired. I don't know. It was really clumsy and it wasn't able to follow the other seals. » He explained and I looked at him clueless.

« I don't want to be rude, but where are you going with this? » I asked impatiently.

« Just let me finish. As I was saying the seal was really clumsy and as it was trying to do the choreography, it slipped and fell in the water. » He explained.

« So? » I asked.

« That was the first time since my mother and my sister died that I actually laughed. » He said. « That's the first time I felt like I might be able to live this through. » He said.

I realized that this place must be really important to him. He's getting kind of emotional right now.

« That feeling only came back about five years later. » He said.

« Really? » I asked. « Nothing else gave you hope in that time? » I asked him.

« No, nothing. » He said.

« What happened five years later that made you feel better? » I curiously asked him.

« You. » He simply responded and my eyes widened.

« Me? » I repeated.

« Yes. » He said looking into my eyes. « I told you last night. »

« I know, but… » I started to say.

« But what? » He asked.

« I don't understand why I'm so important. You always told me to fuck off and that I was annoying. » I explained.

« And you still believe I meant it? » He asked surprised or insulted. I'm not sure.

« No, but it hurt at that time. » I said to him.

« I know and I am sorry. » He said.

« Why am I so important to you? » I asked.

« Because you never gave up. » He said. « All people that tried to get me to open up abandoned after a couple of days. You never did. When I realized it, I knew you were special. I knew you were more than worth my time. » He explained and I believed my cheeks were bright red now.

« Why do you blush so much? » He asked.

« Honestly, because you're the first guy that ever said these kinds of things to me. » I said.

« You're kidding right? » He asked me.

« I'm not. » I said. « I don't understand how that is hard to believe. » I said.

« Because you're the nicest and prettiest girl I know. » He said.

« I'm not the prettiest. Cassidy is way prettier than me. » I said.

« No, she's not. She's a whore and she's way too superficial. » He said. « I think a girl that doesn't wear lots of makeup is prettier than a girl that wears way too much and thinks every guy wants her because of that. » He said.

« Thank you Austin, for the compliment. » I said. I couldn't take it anymore though. I pulled him into a hug. I knew kissing him wouldn't have been a good idea.

He didn't even stiffen. I just felt him wrap his arms around me and relax. He rested his chin on my head. He is that tall. And he held me tighter.

I could feel is constant heartbeat and felt is chest go up and down as he breathed.

At some point, I felt him nuzzle up in my hair. I just let my head rest on his chest.

Fireworks were exploding inside me.

« Ally? » I heard a voice ask, but it wasn't Austin's.

We pulled apart and I turned around to the last person I wanted to see.

« Elliot. What are you doing here? » I asked him.

« My mom wanted me to take my little brother here. » He said as I looked down at the little boy.

« Aren't you handsome. » I said to the little boy. He just stood closer to Elliot and stood behind him.

« Listen Elliot, this isn't what it looks like. » I said.

« Could we like, talk in private? » He asked me.

« Sure. » I responded as I turned to Austin. « Could you look after his little brother for a minute? » I asked him with pleading eyes.

We went to the restaurant area and we sat down; Elliot and me at a table and Austin and the little boy at the other.

« Don't get mad Elliot. I know it looks bad, but let me explain. » I said.

« I'm not mad. » He said.

« You're not? » I asked.

« No. We've been on one date. It's not like we are dating. » He said. Thank god.

« True. » I said. « Since we are here, there's something I wanted to tell you. » I said.

« That doesn't sound too good. » He said.

« Listen, you are great guy and I'm sure you'll find the perfect girl eventually, but that's not me. » I said. « I had fun last night, but I'm not interested in you that way. »

I heard Austin trying to hide a laugh.

Elliot didn't look mad or sad.

« Thank you for telling me. » He said. « I don't feel that way about you either. »

« You don't? » I asked surprised. « Why did you ask me out? »

« Please don't be mad at me. » He said.

« What? » I asked slowly catching up.

« She didn't? » I asked him. I saw Austin turn around and he looked at me.

« I'm sorry. I said no, but she threatened me to embarrass me in front of the whole school. » He explained.

« Why? » I asked.

« She wanted you away from Austin. » He said.

« Why? » I asked again.

« I don't know. » He said « She never told me. »

« So, she forced you to ask me out? » I shouted a little too loud. Austin's face fell. He looked angry.

« I'm so sorry Ally. I never meant to hurt you. » He said.

« You didn't hurt me Elliot. I've never had feelings for you. I mean I'm sure we can be friends, but not more than that. Anyway, my heart belongs to someone else. » I said.

« I know. I can see that and honestly, I'm really happy for both of you. I've never seen him smile before. I don't know what you did, but you're good for him. » He said smiling.

« Thank you Elliot. » I said as I quickly hugged him.

« Not that I was snooping, but how about we get revenge? » Austin asked us.

I looked at him confused.

« Revenge? » Elliot repeated.

« Yes, give Trish a taste of her own medicine or something. I'm sure we can cook something out. » He said mischievously.

« How? » I asked him.

« I think I have a pretty good idea. » Austin said and he winked at me.

« Tell us. » I demanded.

« It's gonna require that we all work together. » Austin said mischievously.

* * *

So, Elliot dropped his little brother at his house and the three of us are now sitting around the kitchen table in my house.

« Okay, so do you guys understand? » Austin asked.

« I do. » Elliot said. « Just promise me you won't be too rough. »

« Don't worry Elliot. Everything will be fine. » He said.

« Ally, do you understand your part? » Austin asked me.

« I do. I have to get Trish to the cafeteria at around nine in the morning. Elliot will join us around nine ten just to chat and you show up about five minutes later. I act really surprised and scared. I got it. » I said to reassure.

« Perfect. This is gonna be epic. » He said smirking.

Elliot still looked a bit nervous though.

« Don't worry. I won't hurt you. » Austin said looking at him. « Are you scared of me? » He asked as I saw something in his eyes. Anger maybe?

« N-no. » Elliot stuttered.

« Really? » Austin asked annoyed. « It's true that I've gotten into fights before, but I'm not an asshole. I've never initiated a fight. »

« I'm sorry man. I just heard so many things about you. Some people even say murder is in your blood. » He explained.

I saw Austin tense up and he started to act strange.

« Excuse me for a minute. » He said as he stood up and walked to the bathroom. He closed the door and I heard him lock it. I had time to see his face though. His eyes were filled with tears.

« What's gotten into him? » Elliot asked clueless.

Something's up. He reacted to what Elliot said about murder. Oh my god. Had his mother and sister been murdered? Oh my god.

I waited about ten minutes and when I realized he still hadn't come back I knocked on the bathroom door.

« Austin? » I asked quietly. No answer.

« Austin? » I asked a little louder.

I twisted the doorknob and it was unlocked. Wait, I heard him lock it.

I slowly opened the door.

« Austin? » I asked for the third time.

I opened the door completely and he wasn't there.

I noticed that the curtain was moving with the wind.

Couldn't he just leave by the front door?

Did he really need to escape by the bathroom's window?

I walked back to the kitchen where Elliot was still sitting.

« I'm sorry Elliot, I need to go. » I said to him.

« Is everything okay? » He asked me.

« Yes, everything is fine. » I said.

« Austin's is just a little upset. » I lied.

« Why? » He asked me.

« He's tired of all those rumors. » I lied again. I have no idea why he acted that way.

« Okay, I'll see you Monday morning. » He said with a smile.

« Definitely. » I responded.

Elliot closed the door right away and I quickly reopened it to leave the house making sure I have my keys and my phone.

I needed to find Austin.

* * *

I knocked on the front door of Austin's house, but he did not answer me. It looked empty. I even climbed on his balcony, but the doors to his room were locked too.

He's not there.

Where is he?

Wait.

I know.

I walked for about ten minutes when I finally reached my destination.

Just as I predicted, he was sitting there. He wasn't drinking. He was smoking marijuana.

« Austin. » I said as I walked towards him.

He didn't bother to turn around.

« Are you okay? » I asked him concerned.

« Would I have left your house by the bathroom window if I was okay? » He asked me.

« I guess not. » I said. « What's wrong? » I asked him.

« My life. It's so fucked up. » He responded.

« Did Elliot upset you? » I asked.

« Not him personally. » He responded.

« What he said? » I asked.

« Yeah. » He responded.

« Please tell me your mom and your sister weren't murdered. » I said quietly.

He did not respond, but I saw tears flowing on his cheeks.

« Whatever happened Austin, it's in the past. » I said. « I know it's hard, but letting go of the past will help you feel better. »

« I can't let go, I'm still fucking mad. » He said. « I can never forgive _him_ for what he did. »

« You might not want to hear this Austin, but maybe you need to. Maybe you need to think about the future and not the past. Forget the past, save the future. » I said chuckling.

I saw his jaw clench and he was breathing harder to calm himself down.

« Are you really quoting _Heroes Reborn_ right now? » He asked and he let out a small laugh.

« Maybe I am. » I said and I winked at him.

« I told you you were the only who could make me feel better. » He said.

That statement made me smile.

« Just out of curiosity, do you smoke every day? » I asked him.

« No, not every day. » He said.

« How come? » I asked him.

« The doctor only told me to use it when I'm really feeling down. It's like a last resort. » He said. « I've been using a bit more since I met you though. » He said. Ouch. Am I really that bad?

« Don't take it that way. » He said as he probably saw the expression on my face. « It's not because I don't like you. Not at all. It's because you make me feel things I swore to myself I would never feel. I thought love was weakness. Also, I haven't talked about my story to anyone before, so it's kind of like I'm reliving it. » He explained, but my mind was set on one sentence _I thought love was weakness_.

I looked at him in sympathy, but my mind was rolling.

He said I make him feel things and that he thought love was weakness and that's shy he used more marijuana since I met him.

I added two and two. If my theory is correct, he loves me and that's why he pushed me away.

Oh my god.

I looked at Austin and he was acting awkwardly. I think he realized what he just said.

« Well, I better get going. » He said as he stood up.

« Okay. » I said. « I'll see you Monday. Don't forget the plan. »

« I'm more worried about you forgetting your part. » He said to tease me.

We walked home and in a complete silence. We weren't touching each other and things were a bit awkward now.

* * *

 **Ooooh, there are a couple of clues about Austin's messed up past in this chapter! I enjoyed writing it a lot, but not as much as next chapter I think. A lot is going to happen.**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and that you're enjoying this story in general. I wanted to thank you guys for all the awesome feedback, for following, for favoriting and of course for reading. You guys are the best.**

 **I wanted to reply to one review. The person asked me about the quotation marks I use. I sadly cannot use the English ones because I can't figure out how to do them on my keyboard since it's a French one, but I want to thank that person for reading and taking the time to review my story. I really appreciate it and I'm happy that person is enjoying the story. :D**

* * *

 **Now, here is next chapter's sneek peak :**

« Elliot. » He shouted. Okay, Austin was making a scene. Awesome. People started to circle us.

Elliot stood up shaking. « Hum… Morning Austin. » He said nervously. I'm still not sure if he was really nervous or not.

« You know why I'm here. » Austin spat. I sat closer to Trish acting scared.

« I don't. » Elliot said shyly.

« I heard you took MY GIRL out on a date. » He spat. Somehow, him calling me that made me blush.


	18. Payback

**Chapter 18  
Payback**

* * *

Austin and I hadn't talked since Saturday. I can say things are a bit awkward between us now. I know we don't want it to be, but Austin is still not ready to accept what he told me. He told me I make him feel things and that he pushed me away because love was weakness. I don't necessarily agree with him, but he admitted it to me without really saying it. He loves me. Well, I think he does.

I have to tell him I love him too, but I'm afraid I'll scare him. He seems so scared of that feeling.

Today is the day we get revenge on Trish. I talked to her yesterday and things are cool now. She said she wasn't going to meddle in my love life again. Although, I knew that wasn't true since she made Elliot ask me out.

Anyway, we were going to get revenge today. We just want to teach her a lesson. Sadly, I kind of understand why she did this, so I forgive her. It doesn't mean we won't have a little fun with our payback though.

I am currently in the bus waiting to arrive at school. Saying I was nervous is an understatement. I've never really executed plans like that before. It might seem like nothing for lots of people, but for me, it's pretty big. I've never done anything like this to my friends before.

I really hope I won't blow. Trish cannot see through me.

I felt the bus stop and I realized we arrived at school.

I got off the bus and walked to my locker to put my things away and get my things for my first class.

The second I turned around to walk away, Trish joined me.

« Hey Ally. » She greeted me.

« Hey Trish. » I said smiling.

« I'm sorry for the phone call Saturday morning. » She said.

« It's okay Trish, you already apologized. » I said to her.

« Let me finish. I guess I was a bit jealous. »She said.

« Jealous? » I asked shocked. « Of Austin and me? »

« Not in the way you think. I was jealous that you were finding another best friend. » She admitted. Now I feel guilty for what we were about to do.

« It's okay Trish, but you could have told me instead of trying to keep me away from him. » I said to her.

« I know. It wasn't such a good idea. I might have exaggerated with the rumors about him. » She said.

« I noticed. » I retorted. « But you do know that you weren't only hurting me? »

« What? » She asked looking surprised.

« With the rumors. Did you know you hurt Austin with them? He's not a bad guy. Not at all. He's never done anything bad. » I said.

We continued our conversation and walked to the cafeteria. It was 8:55 a.m. Elliot will join us in about five minutes.

« I'm sorry Ally. I just don't like the guy. He's mean to everyone. » She said.

« Do you think that maybe that is a façade? » I asked her.

« Maybe. » She said.

We stayed silent for about a minute and she spoke up.

« So, tell me more about your date with Elliot. » She asked me.

« There's not much to tell. It was okay. I'm not into him. He's a nice guy, but I don't feel anything towards him. » I explained.

« Hey Ally. » I heard a male voice say. Let the payback begin.

« Elliot, hi. » I said smiling. « How are you? » I asked him.

« I'm well thank you. How are you cupcake? » He asked me.

Trish looked at us confused.

« I'm well Elliot. » I said.

« May I sit? » He asked.

« Of course. » Trish responded to be polite. I tried to hide my smirk.

« I just wanted to say I had a lot of fun Friday night. » He said looking in to my eyes.

« I had fun too. » I said looking into his eyes.

Trish looked at me confused. I think she realized I was only being polite even though the whole thing was faked.

She had a smirk on her face too. I'm sure it's because she set us up.

We talked for a couple of minutes and then we heard the door to the cafeteria being slammed and a rather angry looking Austin enter.

Here we go. People were looking at him confused, shocked and curiously.

He walked towards us.

« What's up with him? »Trish whispered to me.

« I don't know. » I responded smirking internally.

« Elliot. » He shouted. Okay, Austin was making a scene. Awesome. People started to circle us.

Elliot stood up shaking. « Hum… Morning Austin. » He said nervously. I'm still not sure if he was really nervous or not.

« You know why I'm here. » Austin spat. I sat closer to Trish acting scared.

« I don't. » Elliot said shyly.

« I heard you took MY GIRL out on a date. » He spat. Somehow, him calling me that made me blush.

« What are you gonna do about it? » Elliot asked a bit more confident.

« I know exactly what I'm gonna do about it. » Austin said as he grabbed Elliot by the collar and brought him in the middle of the cafeteria.

People followed them and started to chant.

 _Fight. Fight. Fight_

Trish and I walked closer and I fake-nervously clung to her.

« I can't believe Austin is that possessive of you. » She whispered to me.

« I really hope he won't do anything bad. » I whispered to her.

« Alright Elliot, show me what you got. » Austin said mischievously.

« I don't want to fight you. » He said.

« Is wittle Ewiot scared of me? » Austin asked in a mocking voice. Trish is freaking out. I can see it in her face. This is awesome. It means our plan is working.

« No. » He said.

« Are you sure? » Austin asked teasing.

« Yes. » He said confidently.

They both took fighting position. Here we go.

« Stop. » Trish yelled as Austin was about to throw the first punch.

I looked at her surprised.

She walked to the middle of the circle where Austin and Elliot were and she stood between the boys.

They both looked at her in shock.

« Please don't fight. » She demanded.

« Why wouldn't I fight him? He's trying to take Ally way from me. » He said angrily.

Trish looked at Elliot in an apologetic look.

« I'm sorry. » She said still looking at Elliot.

« Austin, you have no reason to fight him. » She said.

« Why not? He broke the boys' code. » He said as he took his fighting position again.

« No, he didn't. » She said. « I forced him to. » She said and everyone around gasped including me. Although, I faked it.

« You did what? » I asked as I approached them.

« I'm sorry Ally. I made Elliot ask you out so Austin wouldn't hurt you. » She said. « I'm so sorry Ally. Please forgive me. »

« So, you made Elliot ask me out when he had no feelings for me? » I asked.

« That was wrong. I'm sorry. » She said. She looked like a sick puppy. Guilt was all over her face.

I then looked at the boys and high-fived them laughing.

« Good job guys. » I said.

Trish looked confused. She looked back and forth between the two guys and me and then she realized what was going on.

« You knew? » She asked. « You faked this whole thing? » She asked looking at the three of us.

« We did. » Austin said as we all laughed. Well, except for Trish.

« Why did you do this? » She asked me.

« A little payback. Don't interfere in my love life again. » I said sternly.

« Do you know how embarrassing that was? » She asked angrily.

« I'm sorry Trish, but you got what you deserved. » I said.

« You're beginning to act like Austin. » She said. « I told you he has a bad influence on you. »

« No. He doesn't. » I responded to her.

« Listen Trish, I don't know what you have against me, but the last thing I want to do is hurt Ally. » Austin said to her as he put one of his arms around my shoulder. I love it when he does that.

Trish looked at us and at his arm.

« Are you two dating? » She asked.

« No. We aren't. » I said. « It doesn't mean I don't care about Austin though. »

« I don't understand why you think I'm an asshole. All I ever did was staying alone and minding my own fucking business. » He said.

« But I heard so many rumors. » She started to say, but Austin cut her off.

« Did you ever consider that those rumors might not be true? » He said.

« Then maybe if you opened up a bit, people wouldn't be scared of you. » Trish shot back.

« My personal life isn't your business or anyone in this school's business. » He retorted.

« He's right Trish. » I said to her.

« I don't care what you think about me, but I don't want you to interfere in my life. » He said sternly.

« Fine, but if you hurt her, I'll make sure you'll never be able to have children. » She tried to sound menacing.

« If you're trying to scare me, it's not going to work. I've seen worse. » Austin said. « But I'm glad we came to an agreement. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours. »

« Deal. » Trish said. « And Ally, I'm so sorry. I never really meant any harm. I just wanted you to be happy. »

« It's okay Trish, but you're going to have to accept the fact that Austin is the one who makes me happy. » I said to her and I felt Austin tighten his grip around me. Okay, maybe we'll have to discuss this later.

I felt Austin lower his head and he whispered something in my ear.

« Oooh, I like where this is going. You never told me I was important to you before. »

I blushed way too hard.

« And Trish, I accept your apology, but I believe there's someone else you need to apologize to. » I said to her.

« I know. » She said as she walked towards Elliot.

« I'm sorry I dragged you into this. For my defense, I thing you're a really great guy and that's why I wanted you with Ally. » She explained.

« I accept your apology Trish, but don't meddle again. » He said.

« I promise. » She said.

Then, I noticed that the people around us started to leave. I guess they witnessed this whole thing. That was our intention.

* * *

School finished about two hours ago and my parents were still at the store.

Austin and I were sitting on my bed. We were just hanging out and chatting.

I knew there was something we needed to talk about.

« So… » Austin said. « You really like me that much? »

« Of course I do. I wouldn't put up with you on a daily basis if I didn't » I said to tease him. Actually, I don't like him, I'm in love with him, but he doesn't need to know that. Not now anyway.

« Listen Ally, you know I really like you too. » He said.

« I like where this is going. » I said smiling.

« But- he started to say, but I cut him off.

« But what? » I pouted.

« But I don't think I'm ready for a relationship. » He said.

« I know. » I said a bit disappointed.

« You're not mad? » He asked.

« Of course not. I understand your situation Austin. » I said to him. « I understand that you're not ready for commitment and that's totally fine. »

« Thank you Ally. » He said. « I wished I met you sooner in my life. »

That made me flustered.

« Well, we can't change the past, but we can create our own future. » I said and I winked.

« Will you wait for me? » He asked and his question made me confused.

« Wait for you to do what? » I asked.

« For me to be ready. » He said.

« Yes. I was already waiting for you Austin. I'm not going to give up. » I said. His smile grew wider.

« You know what? » He asked.

« What? » I asked.

« Let's start this friendship tomorrow. » He said. What?

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was cut off by a pair of lips on mine.

It took me a couple of seconds to realize what was going on. When I did, I obviously kissed back.

Our lips moved together in harmony. It was the best feeling in the world.

Austin put his hands on my waist and I put mine around his neck.

When I did, he pulled me even closer. There was no space between our bodies.

I felt his tongue slide on my lower lip and I granted him access.

Our tongues battled together as the kiss got more and more heated.

I felt Austin push me until I fell on my back on my bed.

He was hovering hover me and he pulled away. He started to attack my neck, nibbling and sucking on my tender skin. I let out a soft moan. That felt amazing.

Suddenly, his lips found mine again and we were making out.

I'm really glad my parents weren't home.

We made out for a while until I felt him tug on my shirt.

That's when I pulled away. My body was saying yes, but my head was saying no.

« I don't think that's the best way to start a friendship. » I whispered to him.

« Sorry, I got carried away. » He said. « That was amazing. »

« It definitely was. » I said.

I sat straight on the bed and so did he.

« Are you okay? » He asked me.

« Of course I am. I just made out with the hottest boy ever. » I said playfully.

« Are your parents going to be here soon? » He asked.

« I don't think so. I think they'll be here in about two hours. » I said.

« Great. » He said smirking.

His lips found mine again and it wasn't long until we were making out, again. His hands slid on my body until they reached my waist. He pulled me closer, if that was possible, and the kiss became hotter and hotter.

I think fireworks were literally exploding inside of me.

He pulled away when we heard my parents enter the house.

« Ally, are you here? » My mother asked.

« I'm in my room. » I said.

She walked upstairs and saw us.

« Austin. I didn't know you were here. » She said surprised.

« Yeah, Ally and I were working on a school project. » He said.

« Where are your books? » She asked. Shit.

« Well, we finished the project about fifteen minutes ago. We were just chatting. » I said a bit too defensive.

« Okay. » She said and she walked downstairs.

« Well, I better get going. » Austin said to me. I looked at him with a pouty face. « Don't look at me like that. »

« Why? » I asked.

« Because I cannot resist it. » He said as he quickly kissed me.

« You know, I'd love to get used to that. » I said knowing it wouldn't happen anytime soon.

« Soon, I promise. » He said.

I gave him a hug and he left.

I walked back to my room and sat on my bed. That was the best moment of my life, ever.

I snapped out of my thoughts when my mom entered my room about an hour later.

« Hey mom. » I said.

« Hey sweety. » She said and she was just staring at me.

« Why are you looking at me like that? » I asked her.

« Did you really think you fooled me? » She asked.

« What do you mean? » I asked.

« I know you and Austin weren't working on a school project. » She said.

« Why would you say that? » I asked her.

She pointed to my neck.

« Go look in the mirror. » She demanded.

Once I did, I gasped. He gave me a hickey?

« Shit. » I said.

« It's okay sweety. I just wanted to make sure you used protection. » She said.

« Woah. We did not have sex Mom. » I said to her. « I promise. We just, well, made out. » I said all flustered. I was not having that conversation with my mom.

« It's nothing to be ashamed of. I knew it would happen eventually. » She said. « Just make sure he's on your father's good side. »

« Mom. We are not dating. » I told her.

« Whatever you say. » She said to tease me. « I won't tell your father, but make sure to wear a turtleneck or a scarf tomorrow. Oh and use protection. » She said and she winked.

I threw a pillow at her and she laughed.

I am so embarrassed right now.

Yet, I couldn't be happier.

I was also a bit disappointed, because tomorrow we'll be back to just being friends.

* * *

 **Finally? Right? It doesn't mean the drama is over though…**

 **Alright, thank you everyone for reading this story, for following it, for favoriting it and for reviewing it. It means so much to me and I love to read your comments. I love seeing people so enthusiastic about my story. It's so heartwarming. You guys are definitely the best.**

 **So, this chapter was really awesome to write and so were the next couple of chapters. You'll get to know what happened to Austin soon. I can't wait for you guys' reaction.**

 **As to this day, I have twenty-one chapters and a half written. In chapter 20, something important to the story happens and it won't (I think) leave you guys with too much questions. Therefore, I wanted to know if you guys still wanted me to publish up to chapter 22, but leave you guys with many questions or stop at chapter 20 and publish the rest when I write it, but that will probably be during spring break or in May… This semester is going to be a crazy ass bitch (sorry for the vocabulary) for me, so I won't be able to write before May probably.**

* * *

 **Thank you all for your amazing support and here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

« So, you say that she's from France, that her name is Léa and that she looks a bit like Cassidy? » He (Austin) stated and asked in my ear so no one beside me would hear him.

« Well yeah. » I responded.

Austin suddenly looked kind of nervous.

« Are you okay? » I asked him.

« Yeah, I'm fine. » He said awkwardly.


	19. December

**Chapter 19  
December**

* * *

I can't believe school already started about three months ago. So much has happened since then, especially by the end of September. Austin and I almost got together. Nothing has changed since that night though. I mean, between us. We are still just friends although; we tend to cuddle more than friends would do when we are alone. We haven't kissed since that night either. The sad thing is that since then I've been craving his touch and his lips. I'm sure I'm slowly going insane. Austin and I have gotten pretty close. He still hasn't told me all of his past, but I won't force him. He'll tell me when he's ready and he'll tell me when he's ready to be in a relationship. Honestly, that part bothers me more than his past. I want to be able to kiss him whenever I want. I want us to be a couple and go on dates. Sure, we'd met up here and there to go out, but it wasn't a date.

Also, I'm really proud of Austin. He is slowly leaving his old habits behind. He spends time with me at school; therefore he also spends time with Trish, Dez and Elliot. He has been socializing a bit more and I'm happy about that. He gets along with Dez great even if Dez is really weird. He also gets along with Elliot, but they don't really hang out. He still doesn't like Trish and I can understand why. He's not necessarily polite with her, but he hadn't killed her yet and that's a good thing.

When Austin and I first started to hang out as friend at school, people were shocked. They kept looking at us and especially me. Rumors about him forcing me to be his friends have been going around, but I deny them every time someone asks me about them. People also asked me a couple of questions. I still don't understand why, but they want to know everything about Austin. It's getting annoying. Now, people are used to seeing us together. Some people say we are dating in secret or that we are friends with benefits and honestly, I couldn't care less. Austin and I were happy and that's the only thing that counts.

Cassidy has thrown a few tantrums every here and there stating Austin will be hers and shit. She almost hit me once, but Austin came to my rescue. She is trying to bully me, but you can't bully someone who doesn't give a shit. She has been flirting with Austin and she had tried to kiss him multiple times. Every time, he rejected her saying that he wouldn't even date her even if she was the last woman on Earth. Honestly, she's pathetic.

Austin turned eighteen in October and since we are in Canada he can now buy alcohol and go to bars. I would be lying if I said I did not catch him drunk again. Actually, I caught him multiple times, but he said he was just drinking for the fun of it. I know something is still bothering him, but he'll tell me in his own time.

I turned seventeen in October, so technically, it would be illegal for me to date Austin since he's legal and I am not. Although, the great thing about being seventeen is that I got my licence and I even have a car. It's really old, but it's working just fine. I'm really happy about it. It was actually my birthday present from my parents and my family in Miami.

Austin got me a really nice necklace. It's a silver chain with a small heart dangling from it. In the card, he wrote that he gave me this as a symbol that his heart belongs to me. I thought and I still think that this is the cutest thing ever. It took everything for me to not jump on him and kiss him. We made a deal that we wouldn't do that until he tells me he wants us to be in a relationship and I honestly cannot wait until that day. I know he's troubled and that he doesn't like to let people in, but I know he likes me.

I'll never be able to forget that night. Trish still teases me about it. Sadly, I forgot to keep my scarf on when I arrived at school and she saw it.

 _I was at my locker putting my stuff in it when Trish walked up to me. I took off my jacket and put it on the hook in my locker. Then, I took my scarf off and Trish's eyes went wide._

 _« What's that? » She asked me._

 _« What's what? » I asked not too subtly as I put my scarf back on._

 _« Ally Marie Dawson. Was that a hickey? » She asked not to loud so people wouldn't hear._

 _«Whaaaaat?» I asked on a high note._

 _« It is. » She gasped. « Who- She cut herself off. « Austin? » She asked._

 _« Yeah. » I said shyly._

 _« You had sex with him? » She whispered-yelled._

 _« Of course not. » I responded._

 _« Then why do you have a hickey? » She asked disgusted._

 _« I told you we didn't have sex, I didn't tell you we didn't make out. » I said as a matter of fact._

 _« You kissed him? » She asked._

 _« I did. » I responded shyly and flustered. « Please don't tell anyone. »_

 _« Why not? » She asked me._

 _« Because Austin is not ready for a relationship. I don't want him to feel pressured. » I explained._

 _« Why did you guys kiss if he doesn't want a relationship? » She asked._

 _« It was the heat of the moment. » I said. « It was amazing, but he's not ready. »_

 _« Fine, I won't tell anyone. » She said. « But make sure to keep your scarf on. Otherwise, it will speak the truth for you. » She said giggling._

 _« I will. » I told her shyly._

I think Austin's reaction was funnier though. He was really speechless and maybe even embarrassed.

 _« Hey Austin. » I said as I sat beside him in the cafeteria._

 _« Hey Alls. » He responded with a grin. « How are you? » He asked me. You could say things were a bit awkward at that point._

 _I couldn't forget Austin's touch and how his lips moved perfectly on mine. I wanted to feel that again, but I had to contain myself._

 _« Austin, let's not make this awkward. » I said. « We kissed and it was awesome, but it was just the heat of the moment. »_

 _« I know. » He said almost looking disappointed. « I'm getting there Alls. »_

 _« Good. » I said. « Because there's something I wanted to show you. » I said and he looked at me confused and maybe even scared._

 _I lifted my scarf a bit and pointed to my neck._

 _His eyes went wide and he looked embarrassed._

 _He opened his mouths a couple of times to say something, but it did not come out._

 _« I- I did that to you?» He asked in complete shock._

 _« I believe you did. » I said giggling at the horror on his face._

 _« I'm sorry Alls. » He says._

 _« Why? » I asked him._

 _« I didn't want to embarrass you. » He said._

 _« You didn't. The important thing is that it was fun. » I said and winked. I say him blush slightly._

 _« It was. » He stated._

 _« Although, my mom kind of saw it. » I said to him._

 _« What? » He asked shocked._

 _« Yeah, a bit after you left. » I said. « She knows. » I said._

 _« Great. » He said sarcastically. « I bet she will tell Mimi. »_

 _« I don't know, but she told me she wouldn't tell my father. » I said._

 _We stayed quiet for a couple of minutes._

 _« She thought we had sex. » I whispered. « She asked me if we used protection. » I said laughing._

 _Austin's cheeks were a nice shade of red now._

 _« We would if you hadn't stopped me. » He said. « I'm so sorry about that. »_

 _« Don't be. I'm as guilty as you are. » I said. « Maybe I should keep a box of condoms in one of my drawers from now on. » I said to tease him._

 _I've never seen him that red. That actually made me laugh._

 _« Why are you laughing? » He asked._

 _« Your face. It's red as a tomato. » I said._

 _« Can we not talk about this anymore? » He demanded and I chuckled._

 _« Yeah, sure. » I responded._

So, I am currently at my locker remembering that day waiting for Austin and Trish to join me. There has been a lot of commotion in the school today. I'm not sure if I heard correctly, but there's supposedly a new student. I also heard that she is an exchange student. I wonder if this is true.

« Ally. » I heard my Latina friend shout.

« Trish, hi. » I greeted her.

« Did you hear about the new girl? » She asked.

« Kind of. » I said.

« I heard she's related to Cassidy. » She said.

« I hope she's not like her. » I said.

« Who's not like who? » Austin asked as he put an arm around me.

Like I said, we might not be dating, but we are still pretty close and closer than two normal friends. People have slowly gotten used to our friendship. A couple of girls asked me if he was forcing me or if he was good in bed. It was getting kind of annoying considering that we weren't even dating. I mean, we aren't dating. Not yet anyway.

« There's a new girl. » I responded to him. « She's supposedly related to Cassidy. »

« Oh and that's why you wish she's not like her. » Austin realized.

« Yup. » I said popping the p.

Driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing

« Well, we better get to class. » I said as I grabbed my stuff and walked towards the classroom my class was held in. Trish and Dez were in this class, but not Austin.

We walked in and sat at our usual places.

Sadly, Cassidy was in that class too. The desk beside her was empty, but she put a binder on it. I guess she was keeping it for someone.

Then, I saw a petite blonde girl walk in. We all stared at her since none of us has seen her before. She had blonde hair like Cassidy, but she had green eyes. You could say they look alike, but they're not sisters. She was dressed nicely, but she wasn't trying too hard like Cassidy. She looked like a genuinely nice girl compared to Cassidy. I'm not sure they really are family.

Everyone sat down at their usual place and the teacher walked in.

« As you may have noticed, we have a new student. » He said referring to the girl sitting next to Cassidy.

« Would you like to present yourself? » He asked her.

« Yeah sure. » She responded.

She walked at the front of the class.

« Hello everyone, my name is Léa and I just moved here from France. » She started to say. « My dad is working in hotel management and he was transferred here. I don't know how long I'll be here, but I hope long enough to get to know all of you. » She said with a wide smile.

Okay, she's too nice. She cannot be related to Cassidy.

« And she's my cousin. » Cassidy shouted as she stood up. She sure loves attention. I can't believe it. They look alike, but she doesn't look like a bitch.

« Thank you Léa, you can now sit down. » The teacher said as he proceeded to well, teach.

* * *

I was now sitting in the cafeteria with Trish, Dez, Elliot and Austin. We were chatting about pretty much anything and we obviously had to talk about the new girl.

« She seems nice. » I said.

« She's related to the demon, so I wouldn't trust her. » Trish said.

« Come on. » Dez said. « She didn't do anything wrong. »

« Yet. » Trish added. « I'm positive Cassidy is going to make Léa act like her. »

« Maybe, but we should give her a chance. » Elliot added. « She's really pretty. » He said and he blushed a bit.

« Does somebody have a crush on her? » I asked to tease him.

Elliot looked away.

« I think that's cool that she was living in France. » I said. « I'd love to go there one day. »

I only got a death stare from Austin. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have said that.

« So, you say that she's from France, that her name is Léa and that she looks a bit like Cassidy? » He stated and asked in my ear so no one beside me would hear him.

« Well yeah. » I responded.

Austin suddenly looked kind of nervous.

« Are you okay? » I asked him.

« Yeah, I'm fine. » He said awkwardly.

« That's her. » Trish said as she pointed towards the girl.

We all looked at her except for Austin. He looked lost in his thoughts.

I saw Léa approaching us and she looked straight at Austin.

« Nathan? » She asked with a cute French accent.

I turned and looked at Austin. He looked at her and all the blood was drained from his face. He looked horrified.

She knew him from before what happened to him happened.

Shit.

* * *

 **This is kind of a filler chapter, because I wanted some kind of calm before the storm which is next chapter. In the next chapter, you'll get to learn pretty much everything you've been dying to learn since the beginning. I had so much fun writing that chapter. It turned out a bit darker than I expected, but I cannot say it's really dark. Anyway, you'll see when you read it.**

 **Thank you guys so much for the incredible reviews, the follows, the favorites and for reading of course. You're the ones who give me motivation to write.**

 **I decided to post up to chapter 22 so you guys will have a bit more to read before I stop writing for a little while. Don't worry about me forgetting this story, because I won't. It's going to have about 30 chapters. Maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less. We'll see later. Everything is already planned out.**

* * *

 **Thank you again for everything and here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

« How do you know her? » I asked him.

« It's a long story. » He said. « But I'm here to tell you everything. »

« Everything? » I repeated.

« Yes. » He said. « She knows about it and I want you to hear it from me, not from a crazy rumor Cassidy made up from what Léa told her. » He said.


	20. The Truth

**Chapter 20  
The Truth**

* * *

 **This is it. This is the moment you've all been waiting for. You finally get to know why Austin's mother and sister are dead. Where his dad is. Why he knows Léa. What happened to him back in France. Why he changed his name. Why he moved back to Québec. What Austin lived through.**

* * *

 _I saw Léa approaching us and she looked straight at Austin._

 _« Nathan? » She asked with a cute French accent._

 _I turned and looked at Austin. He looked at her and all the blood was drained from his face. He looked horrified._

 _She knew him from before what happened to him happened._

 _Shit._

* * *

Everyone around us looked confused. Austin looked really pale and I was just really nervous.

« There's no Nathan here. » Trish said to the girl.

« Don't be silly. » She responded. « I met him before. » She said as she pointed to Austin.

« Sorry, but his name is Austin. I think you mixed him with somebody else. » I said. I knew I was lying though.

« Don't you remember me? » She asked looked at Austin.

« I'm sorry, I've never met you before. » Austin responded. She looked disappointed.

« Okay, I'm sorry I disturbed you guys. » She said and she walked away shyly.

Whoever that girl is, she definitely knew Nathan, not Austin, but Nathan. That means she might know about whatever happened to him. He looked so pale that I'm sure she has something to do with his past. I just wish he would talk to me.

The bell rang a couple of minutes later and we all went to class. I can't stop thinking about Austin's reaction. I need to talk to him about this.

* * *

I was currently at home gathering my courage. I needed to confront Austin about this whole situation. I was sitting on my bed thinking about all the possibilities of how they know each other.

I was about to leave my room when I heard the doors to my balcony open.

I saw a mop of blond hair and I knew it was him.

« Hey. » He said.

« Hey. » I responded. « I was about to go to your place. »

« Good. » He said.

« Okay. » I said.

There was an awkward silence.

« How do you know her? » I asked him.

« It's a long story. » He said. « But I'm here to tell you everything. »

« Everything? » I repeated.

« Yes. » He said. « She knows about it and I want you to hear it from me, not from a crazy rumor Cassidy made up from what Léa told her. » He said.

« How does she know? » I asked.

« We went to the same school when we were living in France. What happened to me was all over the news, so every French person knew about my situation. She was also the daughter of the parents of my first foster family. » He admitted.

« First? » I asked. « You mean you lived with other people before living with Mimi ad Mike? » I asked.

« I did. » He said.

« You said what happened to you was all over the news. Please tell me your mother and your sister weren't murdered. » I demanded.

« I thought we had that sorted. » He said. I looked at him confused.

« We do? » I asked. I remembered that time I asked him the same thing and he never answered me. Although, I remember him crying after I asked him. Shit. « Who? » I asked him.

He looked away for a couple of seconds and I saw tears forming into his eyes.

« My father. » He admitted and I saw a tear escaping his eye.

Oh my god.

« I'm so sorry Austin. » I said as I scooted closer to him.

« It's okay. It's not your fault. » He said.

« What happened? » I asked. Austin then proceeded to explain everything.

 _I was twelve years old. It all happened in August. I just came home from soccer practice when it happened._

 _I was in my room playing video games when I heard a lot of noise coming from upstairs. I knew my mother and my sister were in the kitchen baking something. I think it was a cake. Amélie loved to bake with my mother. They were both kind of clumsy, so I just assumed they dropped a bowl or something, but then, I heard shouting._

 _I walked upstairs, but stayed out of sight. As I got closer, the shouting was clearer. My dad was there. He looked drunk. He lost his job a couple of days before and he was depressed. Literally. My mother was telling him how he should go for help and see a psychologist. He refused many times. He told her he did not need help and that she was being ridiculous. My sister just stood there frozen. She was eight at the time._

 _My mom tried to talk to sense into him, but he wouldn't listen. That's when he threatened her to kill her. She told him he would never do that and she still tried to reason him._

 _That's when he did the last thing I expected him to do. I slowly hid in the closet the nearest to me and stayed there in complete silent. I was terrified. He never looked so angry. So, as I was saying, he held Amélie by the neck and pressed a gun against her temple. I don't know where he got it and how he managed to bring it at home, but he did._

« Oh my god, Austin. That's awful. » I said as tears rolled down my cheeks and his. I put my arms around him and let him continue.

 _He told my mom that if she tried to come closer, he would pull the trigger. My mom, wanting to help, jump and tried to reach for the gun. She wasn't quick enough. I heard a loud bang and hot tears were pouring down my cheeks. I heard a loud thump and I knew it was my sister's body falling onto the floor._

 _He told my mother she shouldn't have gone closer and that he was dead serious. I heard my mother crying and literally having a mental breakdown. Her husband just killed her daughter._

 _I took a peak out of the closet and saw her body surrounded by a pool of blood. No one should see that in their life._

Austin stopped talking for a couple of minutes and he was trying to calm himself. He was sobbing now. I don't think anything can break my heart more than this. I hate seeing him this way. He looks so vulnerable, so troubled. I tighten my grip around him and rested my head on his shoulder.

« You don't have to tell me the rest. » I said.

« Yes, I do. I owe it to you. » He said.

« No, you don't. » I said. « I know enough. »

« No, you need to know everything. » He said.

 _Then, my father told her that if she called the police he would find me and then do the same thing he did with my sister to me._

 _My mother was a nice lady and all she ever wanted was for her children to be happy. I heard footsteps closer to the closet I was hiding in. I believe my father was looking for me. I was petrified._

 _I couldn't hear my mother anymore. I believed she was frozen in fear or something. That's when I started to hear sirens. I guess the neighbors or she called the police. As soon as my dad heard them, he walked away and found my mother again. He was calling her the worst names possible. They were shouting at each other. I couldn't see what was going on, but I knew it wasn't pretty. Then, I heard the gun being fired. I heard a strident scream and then a loud thump. Another body fell onto the floor. My heart broke at that moment. I knew I didn't have a family anymore. I knew my dad was going to jail. I knew I was lost. For a moment there, I wished my dad would find me and kill me._

This is awful. Why do people still have to go through this? How can people do easily have access to a gun?

 _I did not want to live in a world where my father killed my family and I was the only one left._

 _No long after, I heard doors opening and I heard police officers talking to each other. They quickly found my dad who was trying to escape and they arrested him. I took a peak out of the closet and saw that he was being pulled towards a police car through a window._

 _That's when I fell apart. That's when I started crying and screaming. I wanted to destroy everything._

 _A couple of police officers found me since I was making so much noise._

« Austin, that's horrible. » I said. He did not respond.

 _They brought me to the station and tried to find out what happened. Some stayed at the house and inspected everything. I saw my mother and my sister being put in those bags and then in an ambulance. I knew it was over._

 _They brought me to a hospital not long after and then I saw every kind of therapists possible. None of them were able to help me. Some people took me in the time my dad was incarcerated before the trial. The people were nice, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I lost everything. I couldn't have been more wrong._

I looked at him. « Because you still had your father? » I asked him.

« No, because I hadn't lost everything yet. » He said. What?

« You mean your story isn't over? » I asked him.

« Sadly, it isn't. » He said.

 _So, three days before the trial, police officers came to see me. That's when things fell apart even more. They announced that my house burned down, so I lost everything and that my dad was responsible for it._

« It's not that bad, it's just material. You can always get new things. » I said.

« Let me finish. » He said with the saddest smile I've ever seen.

 _They also told me that my dad found a way to break out of jail to burn the house, but that wasn't his only intentions. He stayed in the house while it was burning. They found his body the day after. He committed suicide._

 _That's when I realized I had nothing left_

« Oh my god Austin. I can't believe you had to live through this. » I said as tears continued to fall down my cheeks.

I just saw his teary eyes and the numerous tears on his cheeks.

 _After that, I went into six different foster homes before Mike and Mimi adopted me. I couldn't be more grateful for everything they've done for me. They literally saved me._

 _I stayed in my first foster home for three weeks. That's when I met Léa. She was a really nice girl and we got along great, but I couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't family. I couldn't accept that._

 _One night, they left me alone at the house and I couldn't take the feeling of loneliness anymore._

« Austin, tell me you didn't try to kill yourself. » I demanded as more tears formed into my eyes.

« I was young. I didn't know how to live with this. » He said.

 _As I was saying, I couldn't live with myself anymore. I felt like a coward because I didn't try to save my sister and my mom and because I didn't stood up to my father. I swallowed almost an entire bottle of acetaminophen to end my life. It didn't work. I just ended up in the hospital and they saved me. After that, they made me see more specialists. They helped for a bit, but I was depressed and troubled._

 _I went into five different fosters home after that. They couldn't deal with my temper. I caused a lot of trouble at that point in my life. I did use drugs and got drunk often even if I was just thirteen. These families couldn't handle me, so they always ended up putting me back in the foster system._

 _That's when I met Mike and Mimi. They were a lovely couple. They weren't able to have children and they really wanted one. When they met me, Mimi already wanted me as a son. She's a social worker and she said that nothing would make her happier than help me._

 _I lived with them in France for two months before I asked them to move back to Québec. They agreed knowing it was best for me. They knew a fresh start was what I needed. We moved to this place in late November._

 _My mother and my sister were buried here because that's what my mother asked in her will. My father, on the other hand, was buried in France. I'll never be able to forgive him for what he did._

 _After that, I swore to myself that love was weakness. I was weak because he destroyed everything I loved. That's why I'm afraid of this feeling, that's why I was a cold-hearted person before I met you._

« There. » He said. « Now you know. »

I was speechless. I couldn't find anything to say as I was clearly sobbing.

Austin put his arms around me.

« It was hard at first, but I slowly started to live again. I started to feel like Mike and Mimi were family » He said. « Then, I met you and you were the reason I let myself feel again. »

He held me closer and we stayed like that for a long time.

I heard my phone ring, but I did not answer.

Eventually, Austin and I found ourselves laying on my bed.

We were just enjoying each other's company.

I ended up falling asleep with my head on his chest.

But I cried myself to sleep and so did he.

* * *

 **That was it! What did you guys think? So, this story isn't over yet. Don't worry. I'll try my best to write during spring break :D**

 **Thank you guys so much for reading this story, for reviewing, for following and for favoriting. I know I say this every chapter, but I really mean it. Seeing that people appreciate my work is the best thing ever :D**

* * *

 **Now, I decided to reply to your reviews, because they are awesome!**

 **Auslly0731:** I bet you can't. I can't wait either. I don't want to spoil anything, but it's not going to happen in the next couple of chapters and you'll understand why in the next chapter! ;)

 **Guest:** Well, here was your update ;)

 **Unreal Zebra:** First, I love your username. Second, I love seeing people this excited about my story! This just warms my heart!

 **HayleySmith:** Thank you so much for reviewing the last couple of chapters and for reading this story! I hope you liked this chapter! :D

 **guitargirl:** I actually came up with that idea not long ago. I knew someone from Austin's past would show up eventually and there she is!

 **Musicgirl15:** Thank you so much for reviewing every chapter. Just know that I do not ignore your review and that I'd answer you via private message if you had an account! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I cannot wait to read your reaction! Also, I want to give you my sincere condolences. Cancer is a bitch. Good luck for your audition! Oh, and I think you're going to the R5 concert tonight! So, have fun :D

 **Cynthiaaaa:** Thank you so much! I hope you loved this one too ;)

 **xxSmileYoureBeautifulxx:** Thank you so much for reviewing every chapter! I hope you enjoyed this one and don't worry, I won't forget about this story. When I started writing fanfiction, I swore to myself that I would always finish what I started! :)

* * *

 **Here is the sneek peak:**

« And you moved here because your parents wanted to open a shop in Québec city? » He asked me.

« We did. I don't know why they chose this place though. » I said. « This is a beautiful city, but it's so far from home. » I said and I saw him stiffen. What did I say?

« Home. » He repeated. « Don't you feel at home here? » He asked almost offended.

« I do, but I miss Miami sometimes. » I said and he did not look pleased with my answer.


	21. Fight

**Chapter 21  
Fight**

* * *

 **Okay, as the title may indicate, this isn't going to be the happiest chapter ever and you guys might not like what's going to happen. Please don't hate me. I promise that things will get better soon and that a pretty big event will bring them closer than ever. Things are looking up ;)**

* * *

Austin and I woke up a few hours later with my mom smiling at us cheekily. I woke up first and realized she was staring at us.

I slowly moved Austin's arm so he wouldn't wake up.

« What? » I asked her.

« Just ask him out. » She whispered.

« No. It's more complicated than that. » I whispered.

« Okay. » She said. « Are you okay, it looks like you've both been crying? » She asked.

« We're fine. » I said.

« Please tell me you're not pregnant. » She said.

« What? No. We did not have sex mom. How many times do I have to tell you? He was just telling me about his past. » I said.

« I knew this boy was troubled. » She said.

« Mom, he's right there. » I said.

« And he's sleeping. » She said.

« Anyway, he's welcomed to stay over if he wants to. » She said.

« Thanks mom. » I said and she walked away.

Austin stirred beside me.

« You heard everything, didn't you? » I asked him.

« Of course. » He said with a faint smile.

« Wanna stay over? » I asked him.

« And cuddle with you? » He asked. « Definitely. » He said as he grabbed me and made me fall on the bed. He put an arm around me and held me closer.

« Are you okay? » I asked him.

« Yeah, I'm fine. » He said.

« Honestly? » I asked.

« I can't say I'm the happiest person on Earth, but I'm definitely happier than I was. » He said.

« I like to hear that. » I said.

« I'm going to take your advice from now on. I will let the past in the past and make my own future. » He said and that statement made me smile. A lot.

« What are you gonna do about Léa? I'm sure she'll tell Cassidy. » I said to him.

« I don't care anymore. If she wants the whole school to know, then I'll let her do it. » He said. « It's time I accept my horrible past. »

« You know, it's the first time I hear you talking like that. I love it. » I said.

« It's nice to have a best friend like you. » He said. My heart sunk. Those words, I hate them. I know he doesn't want to be in a relationship, but those words still hurt.

« Are you okay? » He asked me.

« Yeah, I'm perfectly fine. » I said with a fake smile to hide my disappointment.

* * *

At one a.m., I realized I couldn't sleep, so I went to sit on my balcony. In know it's winter, but there's no snow yet. I put a jacket on and some slippers and I sat on the bench there. I kept replaying in my mind the events Austin told me.

I cannot believe he has had to live through this. No one should live through this. This is just plain awful.

I also couldn't stop thinking about how he said I was his best friend. Did I really get friendzoned?

I'm so happy he trusts me with everything, but at the same time, I feel like he was forced to tell me.

Soon enough, I felt someone put a blanket around.

« Ally, it's about minus five degrees outside. What are you doing there? » Austin asked me. « Come back inside. » He demanded.

I stood up and walked towards the bed. I closed the door, took my jacket off and sat beside Austin.

« When I lived in Miami, I could do that whenever I wanted. I kinda miss that. » I said to him.

« Do you miss living there? » He asked me.

« Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. » I said. « I miss my best friend. Her name is Piper. We used to together at every moment of the day. I really miss her. I miss the rest of my family too. » I said cautiously watching Austin's expression.

« I understand. » He said. « How is it to live there? » He asked me.

« Well, for a starter, it's pretty much always hot outside. I could go to the beach whenever I wanted, but there were storms. » I said.

« And you moved here because your parents wanted to open a shop in Québec city? » He asked me.

« We did. I don't know why they chose this place though. » I said. « This is a beautiful city, but it's so far from home. » I said and I saw him stiffen. What did I say?

« Home. » He repeated. « Don't you feel at home here? » He asked almost offended.

« I do, but I miss Miami sometimes. » I said and he did not look please with my answer.

« If you had the chance to go live back there, would you take it? » He asked me with a serious face. I feel like this is a trap. I feel like whatever answer I give, he's not going to be pleased.

« I don't know Austin. I miss that place a lot, but I don't think I could go back there forever. Things have changed. » I said pleased with my answer. « I would definitely go back for vacations though. » I said.

« If your parents moved back there, would you follow them? » He asked me.

« Probably, I mean almost all the people I care about are there. » I said immediately regretting it.

« That's all I needed to know. » He said dryly.

« I don't understand Austin. What's up with you? » He asked me.

« I feel like you're going to let me down at some point. » He said.

« Why would you say that? » I asked him. « You know how much I care about you. »

« But if you had the chance to go back to Miami, you would. » He said. « You would leave me here. »

« Austin, we are just speaking hypothetically. I don't know what I would do. I miss my family and my friends like crazy, but I know I'd miss you if I went back there. » I said.

« You're still implying that you would go. » He said.

« You want me to give up my whole life for you? » I asked him a bit surprised. « As much as I care for you Austin, I would never give up my life and my own happiness. »

He looked shocked.

« I thought I was your happy ending. I thought I was the one who made you happy. » He said offended.

« You make me happy Austin, you really do, but you can be so frustrating sometimes. » I said.

« Why? » He asked surprised.

« Because you expect me to believe that you're the only important thing in my life. I want to help you. I give my everything to you, but you give me nothing in return. You have me hoping that one day you'll return the feelings I have for you, but you never do anything about it. » I whispered-shouted since it's one a.m. and my parents are sleeping.

He looked shocked. Again.

« Do you know how hard it is for me to let myself go, to let myself feel again? » He asked. « I've been trying my hardest to not push you away and you are still ungrateful. Ally, I gave you everything. I opened up to you. I told you about my past. I've never done that before. You know you mean the world to me. » He whispered-shouted. « If that's not enough for you, then I guess I should go. »

He gathered his things and left the house.

I am so mad right now.

Tears were rolling on my face. I'm not sure if these are tears of anger or sadness.

I went back to bed and tried to sleep.

* * *

I went to school the next day empty hearted. Why do I always fight with Austin?

I avoided Austin as much as possible.

At lunch, we sat the five of us together: Austin, Trish, Dez, Elliot and I. I sat as far from Austin as possible. He looked like a mess. Honestly, he looked like he didn't even sleep.

« Are you okay Ally? » Trish whispered to me.

« I'm fine. » I said to her.

« No, you're not. » She said. « We are going to the bathroom. » Trish announced as she dragged me away from the boys.

When we were out of sight, she let go of my arm.

« Spill it. » She said.

« Don't deny. You look like a mess and he looks like a mess. What happened? » She asked me.

« We fought last night. » I said.

« About what? » She asked me.

« Us. » I said. She looked at me confused.

« What about you two? » She asked.

« He kept asking me questions about Miami and he kept asking me if I want to go back. I said that I'd consider it. » I explained to her.

« You are an idiot. » She said.

« What? » I asked her. « Why? »

« You told him you would never let him go. You told him you would never give up on him. He was looking for some sort of validation. » She said.

« Since when are you an expert on humans' behavior? » I asked her.

« This isn't rocket science Ally. » She said to me. « He has nothing to live for. He's lost everything. You're the only thing he has beside Mimi and Mike. I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to lose you too. » She explained.

Yes, she does know about Austin's past. As predicted, Léa told Cassidy and Cassidy told everyone. Austin told the two boys and Trish before Cassidy could though. He only told them that his dad killed his mom and sister and that he committed suicide. He did tell them in detail, because he did not want to get emotional again.

« Ally, you need to talk to him. » She said.

« But I told him the truth and he's the one who walked away. » I said.

« Gosh, you can be so stubborn sometimes. » She said. « If you don't do it, I'll make you. »

« I'm not scared of you. » I said.

« I know. But I'm still going to find a way. » She said to me.

We walked back to the guys and sat down. Trish kept giving me death stares.

* * *

As I got back home, I saw Austin getting out of his car.

« Austin. » I shouted.

« What the fuck do you want? » He asked dryly.

« I'm sorry. » I said.

« Forget about it. » He said.

« No, I won't. I hurt you and I'm sorry. » I said.

« You didn't hurt me. » He said and hoped he forgave me. « You made me realize something. »

« What? » I asked.

« To never rely on people. » He spat.

I widened my eyes.

« You made me realize that you can have a happy ending with someone who doesn't think you're their happy ending. » He said. « I was so stupid to think you could give me that happy ending. »

« No you weren't. » I said. « I was being a bitch and I'm sorry. »

« I'm glad we agree on that. » He said.

« Austin, please forgive me. I know I was being a jerk. It's just, do you know how hard it is for me to not jump on you and kiss you? I've kissed you before and I want to be able to do that whenever I want. » I admitted. His expression softened for a couple of seconds.

« That's what you want me to give you? » He asked. « I gave you my heart. It wasn't enough for you. Now, you're telling me all you want is what a horny teenager wants? » He asked me. « I thought our relationship was bigger than that Ally. » He said and my heart sunk.

Am I really being selfish right now?

I turned around and walked away. Whatever I say, I seem to get myself in deeper and deeper.

Maybe I should just stay alone for a while.

I walked back to my house and ran to my room. I slammed the door and took my guitar. It's always when I'm upset that I come up with the best lyrics.

 _Lovin' you ain't easy nothin' ever is,_

My relationship with Austin couldn't be more like that.

 _But I will keep on fighting for a love like this_ ,

I'm not going to give up on him. That's for sure.

 _You know I wouldn't have it any other way_

 _Even when times get tough, I don't want no easy love_ ,

It's true. Normal romance is boring. Austin, he's exciting. He's fin to be around, but it's not easy to be around him.

I wrote the lyrics in my songbook when my father knocked on the door.

« Hey dad. » I greeted him.

« Hey pumpkin. » He smiled. « I've got great news for you. » He said excitedly.

« I just booked us a plane ride. » He said.

« Where? » I asked him.

« Miami! » He exclaimed. « We are going there for the holidays. »

« Awesome! » I said smiling. « How long will we be there? » I asked him.

« Two weeks.» He responded.

« Great, I can't wait to see everyone and Piper. » I said excitedly.

« When are we leaving? » I asked him

« On the 22nd and we are coming back on January 5th. » He responded with a wide smile.

« Cool. » I said and he left my room.

Whatever I do, I feel like Austin might be right. Love can destroy you. I love him so much I hurt myself and I'm pretty sure that his love for me is hurting him too. Why does life have to be so complicated? Why can't we just live like the pretty princesses that find their pretty princes and live happily ever after?

Maybe going away for two weeks will help me clear my mind and relax.

* * *

 **Ooooh, Miami. Ally being in Miami isn't going to be the most important part of the story, but some things are going to happen while she's there.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and that you don't want to kill me. I really appreciate the fact that you all take the time to read my story, to review it, to follow it and to favorite it.**

* * *

 **Here is next chapter's sneek peak:**

« I think you cannot handle love right now. » She (Piper) said.

« What do you mean I cannot handle love? » I asked her.

« I think your hormones are making you act crazy. We are teenagers after all. » She (Piper) said.

« I still don't get it. » I said.

« It's all about sexual tension Ally. You want more, he wants more, but he's not ready for commitment so he doesn't do anything about it. » She (Piper) explained.


	22. Miami

**Chapter 22  
Miami**

* * *

Okay, so we are now December 22nd and the flight to Miami leaves in an hour. I'm sitting at the airport listening to music and trying to relax.

I'm so excited to go back and see everyone. Most importantly, I'm excited to see the sun. Days were getting darker and darker in Québec. The saddest part is that there still wasn't snow. Trish keeps telling that winters are tough in Québec, but right now, it's not.

All of my friends were really excited for me and Piper was ecstatic. She kept sending me messages everyday telling me about what she wants us to do while I'm there.

Everyone seemed happy, except for one person. Austin. We're not back to we're he just told me to piss off, but we're more like acquaintances. We talked now and then, but it was just to be polite and that hurt me so much.

I was secretly hoping he would come to the airport and kiss me good bye, but he hadn't yet and since we'll soon be boarding, I don't think he'll come.

 _Flight 68 will leave in half an hour. All passenger, please board the plane._

I heard a voice say throughout the whole airport.

I stood up and took my bag. Here we go.

My dad, my mom and I walked to the gate and then walked through it. I turned around for a second. I swear I heard someone shouting my name.

Although, the people working at the airport were motioning for me to enter the plane. I turned around a second time and I swear I saw a mop of blond hair. It was too late for me to see him, well if I didn't imagine all of this.

* * *

The plane left Québec about an hour ago. That means there is still five hours left to my flight. We can now use electronic devices, but I get tired of them right away. I tried watching a movie, but it's not working. I cannot keep my mind off of Austin. Was it really him at the airport or did I hallucinate this?

I wish we wouldn't fight like that all the time. I realized that since I met him, we've fought way too much. Is it because we care for each other too much? Is it because we are too different? Is it because we are not meant to be?

All these thoughts keep replaying in my mind.

I really wish things were simpler.

Why did I fall for him in the first place? Sure, he's a nice guy and he's good looking, but is there another reason?

Was I meant to meet him?

Did the universe make us meet for some reason?

No. Life isn't a fairy tale. There aren't explanations for everything.

All I wanted was to find the boy behind the mask. I did not necessarily expect to fall in love with him. I wanted to help him, but got hurt in the process. Piper and Trish were right at some point. I should have stayed away from him.

It would have saved me from a lot of trouble.

Of course, I haven't told my parents about our fight. They were so keen on us. They wanted us to be together since the day we met.

Sometimes I think staying in Miami would have been a better option.

* * *

I realized that I dozed off and I was awoken by the flight attendant telling us to buckle our seat belt because we were about to land. Finally. I can't wait to see Piper.

When we landed, we got our luggage and exited the airport. My grand-parents were waiting for us in their convertible.

Gosh, I never realized how much I missed this place.

The sun was shining and it wasn't too hot. We are in December after all.

We greeted my grand-parents and got in the car.

We drove for an hour and half before reaching their house. We will be staying there for the holidays. They have a huge house, so there are enough spare rooms for all of us. Besides, we are just three people after all.

When we got there, we put the luggage inside and then we sat on the patio and talked about anything.

My parents talked about how different Québec is and how they love living there. I kinda spaced out at that point.

I snapped back to reality when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

 _Hey, u here yet?_

It was Piper. I forgot I was supposed to text her when I got to my grand-parents' place.

 _Yes, I just got here._

I responded to her.

 _I'm coming over._

She said.

 _Great :D_

I responded.

I listened to my parents and my grand-parents talk for a bit before Piper arrived.

« Oh my god. I missed you so much. » She said as she attacked me with a hug after I opened the door.

« I missed you too. » I responded.

« You know, you're kinda white. It's a good thing we are going to the beach today. » She said.

« Already? » I asked her.

« Of course. A couple of people from school are holding a beach volleyball tournament and we are going to play. » She said.

« No. » I said.

« Why not? » She pouted.

« Because I suck at beach volleyball. I'd rather just watch. » I said.

« Please. » She pleaded. « Gavin is bringing a couple of his hot friends. »

I winced. I don't really feel like meeting boys right now.

« I don't care. I don't wanna play. » I said to her.

« Why not? Don't you want to meet cute guys? » She asked me.

« You know, you sound just like Trish right now. » I responded.

« What do you mean? » She asked me.

« I mean that she always wanted me to meet guys to get me away from Austin. » I spat.

Her eyes widened.

« Sorry, I'm a bit frustrated these days. » I said. « I didn't mean to take it out on you. »

« It's okay. » She responded sympathetically.

« I'll tell Gavin I won't be able to make it to the tournament. » She said to me.

« Really? » I asked with hope in my voice.

« Yes, really. My best friend needs me right now. » She said.

« Thanks Piper. » I said.

« So, wanna tell me why you're so frustrated? » She asked me.

« Let's go inside. » I said.

She followed me until we reached the living room. We sat on the couch and I started to tell her everything that happened between me and Austin after the last time we talked. That was before the whole Elliot thing happened. She doesn't even know that we kissed.

« So, after we got back at Trish, we explained to her why we did that and I ended saying that she doesn't have the right to meddle in my love life and that Austin was the one who made me happy. » I explained to her.

« He was there, right? » She asked.

« Yeah and he heard that. » I responded. « Later that night, he went to my house to talk about this. »

« Okay. » She said.

« So, he told me that he wasn't ready for a relationship and that he would rather be friends. I obviously agreed even if I was dying inside. » I said.

« Why did you do that? » She asked.

« Because I can't bear being away from him. » I explained to her. « Anyway after agreeing on that, something flashed through his eyes and then he told me that we could start our friendship the day after. » I said.

« Why? » She asked looking confused.

« Because after he said that, he crashed his lips on mine. And we had a full make out session. » I told her.

« What? » She said. « And you never told me? »

« We were so busy; I couldn't find time to call you. » I said to her.

« I understand. » She said. «So, what happened after that? »

« Well, we were friends, but cuddled way more than friends. » I said.

« That's good. » She said. « He obviously likes you. »

« He did, but then I ruined it. » I said. « And I don't think he'll forgive me. »

« What did you do? » She asked and then she gasped. « Did you cheat on him? »

« What? No. Of course not. We never were together. » I said to her defensively.

« He started questioning me about Miami. He wanted to know if I'd ever consider moving back here. He kept asking me questions about my intentions. » I said.

« And you said that you would move back here. » She said finishing my explanations.

« I said I'd consider it. » I defended.

« Same thing. » She said. « Earlier, you told me he asked you to wait for him to be ready and never give up. You said you would and then you said you might think about moving back here. » She said. « I might not be an expert Ally, but I think you showed Austin impatience and that you won't keep your promise. »

« I always keep my promises. » I defended a bit annoyed.

« You just proved him otherwise. » Piper said to me.

« So, you're going to tell me that he was looking for validation because I'm the only thing important to him right now and bla bla bla. » I said. « Trish already gave me that speech. »

« What happened to you Ally? » She asked. « You used to be the best person to decipher feelings and now I feel like you're the most oblivious person in the world. »

« You're supposed to console me. Not take me down. » I said a bit frustrated.

« What happened to you Ally? » She repeated.

« Austin happened. » I said.

« No, there's something else. » She said.

« Fine, love happened. » I said.

« That's more like it. » She said cheerily. I looked at her confused.

« What do you mean? » I asked.

« Love is what is disturbing you. Love is why you're oblivious to other feelings because that's the only feeling that you, well, feel. » Piper explained.

« If you say so. » I said.

« No. I know so. » She said cockily. « So, have you talked to Austin since then? »

« I tried to, but he just pushed me away. » I said to her.

« With reasons. Let's be honest, you weren't being reasonable. » She said to me.

« Do you know how hard it is to resist him? » I asked her.

« What do you mean? » She asked.

« I cannot bear being beside him without feeling the urge of crushing my lips on his. I really want us to date. » I explained. That's what I said to Austin and he did not take it really well.

« Did you tell him? » She asked me.

« I did. He told me I was being unreasonable because I was acting like a horny teacher. » I said to Piper.

« What did you say before that? » She asked me suspiciously.

« I might have told him that I was mad because I gave him everything and he gave me nothing. » I sheepishly said.

« You're an idiot. » She said.

« Why do people keep saying that? » I asked rhetorically.

« It might be because that was a dick move. » She said to me. « What were you thinking? »

« I don't know. I was tired of waiting for him. » I said.

« Ally… You're acting like a bitch right now. » Piper said to me.

« I know Pipes, I know. » I said. « I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't seem to do anything right these days. »

« I think love is poisoning you. » She said to me.

« What? » I asked her surprised.

« I think you cannot handle love right now. » She said.

« What do you mean I cannot handle love? » I asked her.

« I think your hormones are making you act crazy. We are teenagers after all. » She said.

« I still don't get it. » I said.

« It's all about sexual tension Ally. You want more, he wants more, but he's not ready for commitment so he doesn't do anything about it. » She explained.

« Yeah, that makes sense. » I said. « But I still don't know what to do. »

« Maybe you could call him and apologized sincerely. » She suggested. « And maybe you can explain to him why you really acted that way. I mean, it's not your fault and you didn't mean any harm. You just gave him the answers he didn't really want to know and then you got mad because he looked upset. »

« I guess you're right. » I said to her. « But I can't call him from here. It'll cost too much. He's all the way to Québec. »

« Use my phone. » She said. « I'll pay for it. »

« No, you don't need to. » I said.

« It's fine. Don't worry. » She responded.

I took her phone from her hand and started to dial his number. Yes, I know it by heart. It's because we used to talk a lot on the phone late at night when he couldn't sleep.

I remember one time, I think it was in late October, Austin was grounded because his parents found out he got drunk on a school night. He couldn't use any electronic devices, but he found a way to get his phone back from his parents without them knowing and called me.

 _« Allyyyyyyy. » He whined over the phone._

 _« Austiiiiiiiin. » I mocked him._

 _I'm pretty damn sure that he was grinning at that point._

 _« What's up? » I asked him._

 _« I'm bored. » He said._

 _« Can't you just play video games or something? » I asked him._

 _« No. I'm grounded because I got drunk on Monday. » He said._

 _« Oh. » I said._

 _« Can you come over? » He asked me._

 _« But you're grounded. Your parents won't let me come in. » I said to him._

 _« They don't have to know. » He suggested._

 _« Sneaky, I like that. » I said mischievously._

 _This whole thing happened about a week after Austin and I kissed. He was getting used to the fact that we were actually friends, that I actually cared about him and that he cared about me. We spent more and more time together especially since that night._

 _So, after our phone call ended, I got out of the house and walked towards Austin's balcony. I don't know why, but there was always a ladder lying around somewhere, so we just used it. I carefully placed it on the railing of Austin's balcony and climbed the ladder. I silently knocked three times on the door and waited for Austin to open it. He opened it a couple of seconds later._

 _My eyes widened at his sight. He was wearing a pair of joggings, but nothing else as in he was shirtless and I had a nice view of his perfectly sculpted abs._

 _« Take a picture, it'll last longer. » He teased me._

 _I took my phone out of my pocket and actually snapped a picture of him shirtless._

 _Austin was taken aback, but he laughed after that._

 _« Aren't you afraid your parents are going to hear us talk? » I asked worriedly._

 _« That's why we are going on the balcony. » He announced._

 _He opened the door again and we walked outside._

 _« Shouldn't you put a shirt on or something? It's kind of chilly. » I said._

 _« No. I've got you to keep me warm. » He said._

 _At that exact moment, he walked right behind me and put his arms around my waist. His perfectly sculpted stomach was pressed against my back. I hate that I loved the feeling it gave me._

 _« There, now, you can keep me warm. » He said and I just knew he was grinning. « Even if I don't see your face, I'm sure you're blushing right now. »_

 _« Maybe. » I said._

 _Then, Austin rested his chin on my shoulder and I rested my head against his. I looked in front of me. It was kind of dark outside, but I could still see the river. The view from behind our houses is amazing._

 _« Don't you find this relaxing? » I asked him._

 _« Cuddling with you? » He asked. « Of course. »_

 _« No, I mean, being out on your balcony and being able to look at the river and just well, enjoy nature. » I explained._

 _« That too, but doing that while cuddling with you is even better. » He said and I was flustered._

 _I turned around and looked at him. His arms did not leave my waist and I then put my arms around his neck._

 _« What are you doing? » Austin asked me._

 _« Don't tell me you don't like it. » I said._

 _« You know I do. » He said. « But that's not what I meant. »_

 _« I know. I just- I like doing this. I like being with you. I like being here, in your arms, and enjoy life even if we aren't doing anything special. We just enjoy each other's company and I love that. » I said to Austin._

 _« You know I'm not ready. » Austin said to me and I knew exactly what he was talking about._

 _« I know and I respect that. You can take all the time you need. » I said to him and he genuinely smiled. I loved that smile. So much._

 _« You're so amazing Ally. » Austin said. « What do you see in me? »_

 _« I used to see someone who was misunderstood and lonely. But now, I see a handsome caring man who's only looking for a second chance at happiness. I see my idol. I see someone who had a rough life, but got through it and is starting to live again. » I honestly said to him._

 _« Really? » He asked with hope in his voice._

 _« Yes, really. » I said._

 _« What do you see in me? » I asked him._

 _« I see my way to happiness and that's all I need. » He said flirtatiously. I blushed._

 _« Are you sure you're not ready? » I asked him._

 _« My hormones are more than ready, but my head is not. » He said._

 _« It's okay Austin. I understand. » I said to him._

 _« Austin, are you there? » I heard Mimi ask from afar._

 _« I'm on my balcony. » He shouted back. « Hide. » He whispered to me. I pointed towards the ladder and proceeded to climb down. He stopped me by gripping my wrist. I turned around and he shyly kissed my cheek._

 _« Good night Alls. » He whispered._

 _« Good night Austin. » I said to him and then I left for real._

 _I heard the door open and Austin got inside._

« What are you smiling about? » Piper asked me.

« Sorry, I was just thinking about Austin. » I said.

« What? » She asked. « He made you mad seconds ago. »

« I just remembered one of the cute moments we had. » I said as I was waiting for Austin to answer his phone.

It went straight to voicemail.

Hey, vous avez bien rejoint Austin Moon. Laissez un message après la tonalité. Beep. (Hey, you've reached Austin Moon. Please leave a message. Beep.)

I looked at Piper. « He's not answering. »

* * *

 **I know, I know, this chapter doesn't end on a really good note. Do you think Ally will be able to talk to Austin?**

 **I'm also sorry to say this was the last chapter I had written so far. Spring break is in a week, so I hope to be able to write at least two chapters during it. Therefore, there is no chapter sneek peak…**

 **I really hope you're enjoying this story so far and I love you guys so much. Thank you for the awesome reviews, for following, for the favorites and of course for reading!**


	23. Why am I so stupid? (Austin's POV)

**Chapter 23  
Why am I so stupid?  
(Austin's POV)**

* * *

 **I think you guys finally deserved to know what is happening in Austin's head. I was planning on doing this later on in the story, but I felt like this was necessary for the plot now.**

* * *

I've been playing video games for the last three hours and it just seems to get harder and harder. I cannot focus. I can't focus on anything right now. Christmas has passed. I've been spaced out the whole time. Mimi and Mike are really worried about me. They keep asking me if I'm okay. I tell them that I'll be.

The truth is. I can't live with myself right now.

I've been such an idiot.

I kept pressing the buttons on the controller, but I got killed.

I threw the controller against the wall and sighed noisily.

Why has my life come to this?

Oh yeah, because I'm the stupidest man on Earth.

Why am I so mad at myself right now?

Because I scared her away. I said things I never should have said. I put myself in that situation without any help.

I asked questions I knew I wouldn't like the answer. I know what I asked her wasn't fair. I know that was wrong.

I couldn't help myself.

I abused of her kindness. She was kind enough to see through the mask I gave myself and once she did, I tried to keep her to myself and acted selfishly.

I know that was wrong.

Although and I am mad at her for something. She accused me of not giving her anything when she gave me everything.

That is not true and she knows it.

Opening up to someone was the hardest thing I've ever done. She saw me naked. Not the physical kind, but vulnerable.

I trusted her and she still wasn't satisfied. I know what I've done wasn't right, but what she said wasn't right either.

That's why I am so conflicted right now.

A part of me wants to forgive her and be with her and another part just wants to be mad at her.

I would also be lying if I said I didn't drink a lot in the last couple of days. Maybe even more than usual. My head hurts so much right now.

I can't help it. It's the only way I can feel a bit better. I know Mike and Mimi are really worried, but I'm eighteen now. I am legal and I do not need adult supervision. Don't get me wrong. I love them like crazy, but I need to be on my own for a while.

 _Actually, no._ My mind told me.

Oh shut it. I want to be alone. I want to think I'd be okay alone, but without her, I'm lost. Everyone knows it.

I sat on my bed and took a beer out of one of my drawers. Mimi and Mike don't know I have alcohol in my room, but they don't I've been getting wasted.

Every day since my stupid dad killed my fucking family, I've been dreaming of an angel coming to rescue me.

When I first saw Ally, I felt it. I knew she would somehow help me. I wanted someone to save me, but at the same time, I was afraid. I was afraid she would look at me with pity. I didn't want that. That's why I pushed her away.

Actually, I remember when I first saw her. I had to do a double take.

 _I was entering the school bus and I had my headphones on. I was listening to a Bon Jovi song. I remember because one of the lyrics was_ _A school boy's dream, you act so shy._ _I remember because I noticed that she kept shyly glancing at me, like she didn't want me to notice she was checking me out. Please, every girl as checked me out. Every. Single. One. I know this sounds cocky, but more than a couple of girls have tried to crack me, but failed miserably._

 _Then, my eyes finally caught hers. I couldn't have let her know that I was in desperate need for help, for warmth, for love even. I didn't know it at that point, but now I do. Anyway I coldly looked at her and said: « Câlice, faut-il que je te donne ma photo? » (Fuck, do I need to give you my picture?) She looked stunned. She looked lost. She looked beautiful. Her eyes were beautiful, but they were screaming incomprehension. Then, she said: « What? » and I realized that she probably couldn't speak French. We are going to an English school after all. Anyway, I repeated myself in English and she almost stopped looking at me. She glanced at me every now and then. Then, I remember speaking on the phone with Mike about meeting a psychologist, but I refused._

 _Anyway, when I first saw her, I felt like she'd be important. I do not really believe in faith, but at that moment, I did. Why, because her looking at me like that made me feel weird. I still cannot describe the feeling._

 _Later that day, I was sitting in the cafeteria all by myself and I saw her sitting with a Latina girl and the ginger doof. Ally kept looking at me while she was talking to them. My heart sunk at that moment. I knew they were telling her about all the rumors about me. I knew they were warning her about me. The truth is; there was nothing wrong with me besides my messed up past and my inability to socialize and make friends. I was disappointed. I thought she would be different, but she looked like she believed them._

 _I felt drawn to her. I wanted to get to know her and that fact scared the fuck out of me. I never felt that before. That's why I pushed her away and told her many times that I didn't like her. The truth is; I meant the opposite._

 _I was too scared to face the truth._

 _Then, came that time where she almost saw me naked._

 _I've just gotten out of the shower when I saw a petite brunette about to walk down the stairs. I knew it was her. I could have recognized her anywhere, but to make it seem like I didn't care about her, I was really rude._

 _I couldn't help but smile at the fact that she was looking at me in pure awe. I knew she loved what she was seeing and I loved the feeling it gave me. I stormed of a bit after that evening, because I knew Mimi would let something slip about my past and I didn't want to be there._

 _Then, there was this time where I couldn't stay away from her anymore. She joined me when I was alone by the river. That was one of the first times I was genuinely nice to her. I couldn't be an obnoxious jerk anymore. I shyly asked her to stay with me. Her presence was comforting, well, it always is._

 _There was also that time when I apologized about god knows what. Let's be honest, I was a total dick and I had to apologize to her a lot. Anyway, I apologized and when she was about to go back inside and leave me. I hugged her. I felt all tingly. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really did. That's when I realized I had feelings for her._

 _Ever since that moment, I tried to convince myself that getting attached to someone isn't that bad. I tried to convince myself by telling me Mimi and Mike entered my life and saved me._

 _I was to scare to do anything about it. Ally and I got closer and my feelings for her grew stronger and stronger._

 _I had to control myself. I am a hormonal teenager after all. My body wanted to hold her, to kiss her and to cuddle with her, but my head kept warning me I would get hurt._

 _The truth is. I don't need someone to hurt me. I don't need help. I'm pretty good at hurting myself._

 _Then there was that time we almost kissed. I was too scared. Honestly, I was scared about happiness. I still am. I don't know how to feel that anymore. I'm still scared of what she makes me feel, but she's too important to me to ever let her go, but I did. I can't understand myself. What did I ever do to deserve this fucked up life?_

 _Finally, there was that time I kissed her. That night was magical. I wanted more. My body wanted more. The feeling of her lips on mine was indescribable. It was amazing. It was like an angel was trying to save me._

 _The only problem? There was still this voice in my head telling me I shouldn't get attached to her and that love is a weapon._

 _I know. I know. I'm in love with her._

Anyway, I can't forget about her even if I wanted to.

I have the feeling she's going to try to call me or that she'll come over here to talk to me.

I took a sip of my beer and layed on my bed. Maybe I should stop drinking… I know Ally would want me to stop drinking.

I heard someone knock on my door.

« Austin, honey, can I come in? » I heard Mimi say.

« Yeah sure. » I said.

She opened the door and her eyes widened.

« Austin Moon. Is that a beer in your hand? » She asked. Fuck.

« Maybe. » I responded without looking at her.

« Austin, you need to stop drinking. » She said.

« I can't. » I said. « It's the only thing that makes me feel better right now. »

She walked up to me and took the beer from my hand.

« Have you showered in the last couple of days? » She asked.

« No. » I said shyly.

« Austin, what' wrong? » She asked.

« Everything. » I said. She sat beside me on my bed and had an apologetic look. « I keep fucking things up Mom. It's like I'm destined to live an unhappy life. »

Her eyes widened after what I said. « What? » I asked her.

« What did you call me? » She asked confused. I realized what she meant and my eyes widened. « You've only called me that in front of people because you didn't want them to know you were adopted. »

« I… I guess… It's just… » I was at loss from words. She had a genuine smile on her face. It's like it made her day. « I mean, you're the only motherly figure in my life right now and I guess I should start treating you like one. »

A bigger smile crept on her face.

« Oh Austin, you have no idea how happy this makes me feel. » She said way too enthusiastically.

« It's no big deal. » I said. I wasn't really in the mood for a pep talk or for a really happy person to stand next to me.

« It is honey. It means you're moving on. » She said.

« What? » I asked her.

« You're ready to accept me as a motherly figure. It means you accepted what happened to you. » She said and her smile slowly faded away. I think she realized it was too much for me right now.

« You really think so? » I asked confused. « Because I keep fucking things up because of what happened. »

« It doesn't mean you forgot Austin. It doesn't mean you don't think of your mother, your sister and your father as family anymore. It just means you're starting to move on, to realize that other people care about you too. » She explained.

« My father never cared about me. He would never have killed my mother and sister if he did. » I snapped. I saw a hint of fear in Mimi's eyes. « I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. »

« It's okay Austin. I know you're trying your best to think things through. » She said to me. « I know that deep down, your father loved you. »

« How can you be so sure after what he did? » I asked her.

« No reason. » She said suspiciously and her eyes shifted to the right.

« You're lying. » I said to her. « What do you know that I don't? »

« Nothing, really. » She said.

« Mimi. » I said.

« Listen, I promise I'll tell you soon, but not now. I can't. » She said.

« Okay..? » I said slowly.

« Believe me Austin, you'll understand why. » She said.

« Okay. I trust you. » I said to her.

« Good, now, trust my judgement and go take a shower. » She said. « Oh, and drink a lot of water and get rid of all the alcohol in your room. »

« You sure are demanding. » I said to her.

She looked at me with eyes meaning she wanted me to take action now.

« Fine. » I said.

She left my room and I opened my drawer. I took the beers that were still full and put them in the fridge downstairs. I brought a water bottle back to my room and then proceeded to take a shower.

Mimi's right. I did need to take a shower. I smelled like alcohol, and sweat and desperation.

I took some fresh clothes out of my closet and walked to the bathroom.

I took a nice hot shower. It felt so good to feel the hot droplets of water on my body. I forgot how relaxing showers were.

After half an hour, I finally had the courage to leave the shower and change into my clothes. Ugh, I hate the transition between showering and putting clothes on.

I walked back to my room and took my cell phone.

I had one missed call.

It was from an unknown number.

* * *

 **Dun dun dun. Alright, after a week, I was able to write a new chapter. I hope to write another two chapters during my break.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you liked seeing things from Austin's point of view.**

 **Anyway, thank you so much for reading, following, the favorites and the reviews. I really appreciate these small gestures.**

* * *

 **I wanted to give you guys next chapter's sneek peak, but it's not completely written, but I can give you this:**

« Have you tried to call Mimi? » She (Ally's mom) asked me.

« No, why? » I asked.

« Maybe you should, maybe she'll tell you about Austin. » She said.

« That's brilliant. Thanks mom. » I said after I hugged her.


	24. Putting Cards on the Table

**Chapter 24  
Putting Cards on the Table**

* * *

Alright, so I've been in Miami for a week now. Piper finally convinced me to go out and actually meet with my old gang. They were cool to hang out with, but I didn't really keep contact with them except for Piper. We used to have a lot of fun going to parties and stuff, but most of them would get drunk and I don't really like alcohol and what it does to people, so I always ended up leaving when everyone was puking. That's why seeing Austin drunk didn't really scare me or make me uncomfortable.

I cannot stop thinking about him, about his perfect messy hair and his amazing hazel eyes that can make my knees wobble. I knew I loved him, but being away and not being able to join him makes me realize how much I love him. Like Piper said, this love is poisonous. We keep hurting each other even if we have good intentions. We love each other so much we can't control ourselves. Well, I'm only assuming he loves me, or at least loved me, because of all the things he told me. I know I ruined it and I know I was being a bitch. I know now that I made him mad, because I made him feel like he wasn't my whole world when I was his. He was right. I was craving his touch. I was craving what a horny teenager would crave. I was an idiot.

I tried to call him several times since I arrived here, but he's not answering. It always goes straight to voicemail. I keep hoping that he would eventually answer, but I feel like this won't be the case. That's why I decided to leave a message. If he knows how I feel, maybe he'll call me back.

I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed his number for the twenty-seventh time since yesterday. Yeah, I'm that obsessed. Maybe I'll get arrested for calling him that much. Anyway, I heard the ringing and then the voicemail message.

 _Austin, hi. I know you probably don't want to talk to me. I mean I know you don't want to talk to me since you haven't answered any of my calls. You're probably going crazy right now with all the calls on your phone, but anyway. I'm rambling. I wanted you to know that I made a huge mistake. I know I was being unreasonable and I know I hurt you, but I never intended to. I was afraid. I was afraid that you didn't like me as much as I liked you. I understand now that all I've done is hurt you, and me. I really wish I could make it up to you. Being here in Miami made me realize something. I can't live away from you. All I ever do is think about you even when I'm three thousand miles away from you and with my entire family. I remember that you winced when I said Miami was home. It doesn't feel like it anymore. I may sound cheesy, but I realized that home isn't a place. Home is a feeling. Home is the feeling I get when I'm with you. Don't get me wrong, I love my family to death, but my life is incomplete without you. I know you might not want to talk to me ever again and nothing makes me sadder, but Austin Moon, I love you so fucking much it hurts._

With the last words being said, I hung up and tears were prickling my eyes. Just at that moment, my mom walked in.

She looked at me with concern.

« Sweetie, are you okay? » She asked me.

« I'm fine. » I responded while a tear escaped my left eye after I blinked.

« No. You're not. You're crying. » She stated.

« I know. » I said.

« Wanna talk about it? » She asked me.

« No. » I said.

« Are you sure? » She asked.

« No. » I responded.

« Honey what's wrong? » She asked sympathetically.

« I messed up mom, really bad. » I said.

« Why? » She asked. She's not really aware of everything that happened with Austin. « Is this about Austin? »

« Yes. » I sheepishly said.

« What happened? » She asked me.

« We fought and I ended up hurting him and now he doesn't want to talk to me anymore. » I responded.

« What did you guys fight about? » She asked me.

« Us and Miami. » I responded. « He's not ready to have a girlfriend and we ended up talking about here and I ended up saying that I miss this place and that I would probably move back here if you guys did. Then he got mad, so I got madder and ended up telling him I was mad because I gave him everything and he gave me nothing. The sad thing is he did give me everything. He opened up to me. He trusted me. He's never done that before and I fucked things up. »

« Oh honey. » She said. « It's obvious that he likes you a lot. I'm sure he wanted you to say that you'd stay with him. »

« I know that now. I was an idiot. I tried to call him, but he won't answer. » I said.

« Give him time. I'm sure he'll come around. » She said as she stood up and walked towards the door.

« Thanks mom. » I said.

« Have you tried to call Mimi? » She asked me.

« No, why? » I asked.

« Maybe you should, maybe she'll tell you about Austin. » She said.

« That's brilliant. Thanks mom. » I said after I hugged her.

* * *

A few minutes have passed since my mom told me to call Mimi.

I was blankly staring at the phone.

Why am I nervous?

I know.

Every time I called Austin, I knew he wouldn't answer. Now, I know Mimi is going to answer, or Mike or even Austin.

I know I'll be able to reach someone.

What do I say?

He Mimi, I know I pissed your son off, but can I talk to him?

I finally started to dial the numbers.

After a couple of long minutes, I pressed call.

I heard ringing.

It rung three times and then a female voice answered.

« Hello? » The voice asked.

« Mimi, hi, it's Ally. » I said with a shaking voice.

« Ally dear, I'm so glad you called. » She said.

« Really? » I asked her.

I saw Piper enter the room with the corner of my eyes. She sat down on chair as far of me as she could.

« Yes, I was hoping you could enlighten me. » She said.

« What about? » I asked her even though I knew she was going to ask me about Austin's behavior.

« The fight you had with Austin. » She said. « What was it all about? He's a mess right now. »

« What? » I asked her. « How is he? Has something happened to him? »

« Don't worry. Nothing bad happened to him. He's just back at his old habits like drinking way too much. »

« Is he home? » I asked her.

« No. He went out. So, what was the fight about? »

« We both told each other things we shouldn't have said. » I explained to her. « He kept asking questions about Miami and I told him I might consider going back there. I also accused him of giving me nothing when I gave him everything. »

« But he told you everything. Didn't he give you his trust? » She asked and I could feel the disappointment in her voice.

« He did and that's the best gift he could ever have given me. I know that now. Back then, all I wanted was him to hold me and tell me he loves me. » I sheepishly said.

« Oh honey, now I know why he's so messed up. But you know, he does love you. » She said.

« H-He does? » I stuttered.

« Of course he does, maybe he doesn't know it, but it shows. He would never act like that right now if he didn't love you. » She said and I could feel that she was grinning.

« You really think so? » I asked.

« I know so. » She said.

« Thank you Mimi. Talking to you always makes me feel better. » I said.

« No problem. » She said. « Now, is there a reason you called? » She asked.

« Yeah… » I said. « I wanted to talk to Austin, but he's not there. » I said.

« I'm sorry- Wait, he just got in. » She said.

« Really, can I talk to him? » I asked.

«Austin, Ally's on the phone. She wants to talk to you. » I heard Mimi say from far away.

I didn't hear Austin say anything, but I heard a door slam.

« I'm sorry Ally, he's not in the mood. » She said to me.

« It's okay Mimi, I understand. » I said to her. « But please, tell him to listen to his voicemails if he doesn't want to talk to me. »

« Sure, I'll do it. » She said to me.

« Thank you so much Mimi. » I said to her. « I guess I'll see you when I get back. »

« Yeah, have fun on the rest of your vacations. » She said to me.

« Thank you. » I said to her.

I hung up and sighed.

« How did it go? » I heard Piper ask me.

« He doesn't want to talk to me. » I told Piper with a hint of sadness in my voice. « She told me he loved me. »

« She did? » She repeated.

« Yeah, she said it was obvious by his actions that he loved me. » I explained.

« That's great. » She said cheerily.

« No. It's not. » I responded.

« Why? I'm confused. Don't you want him to love you? » She asked furrowing her eyebrows.

« I do, but he still doesn't want to talk to me. He might love me, but I blew it. » I said to her.

« You didn't. You both did. He was stupid and you were you. » She said to me. « People make mistakes. We are humans after all. »

« I guess. » I said to her.

« No. I know I'm right. » She said. « Now, Ally, we don't have much time left together and all you've done is mourned about him. Let's do something fun. It will clear your mind. You'll feel better. I guarantee it. »

« What do you have in mind? » I asked her suspiciously. I knew Piper. I knew she loved fashion and makeup and all that stuff.

« Do you know what always makes me feel better? » She asked. Oh no.

« No. » I played dumb.

« Shopping! » She said excitedly. Yay… Note my sarcasm.

« Do we have to? » I whimpered.

« Yes. You might not like clothes, but buying new ones always makes a person feel more confident. That's what you need right now. You need to be confident in who you are. Because of that boy, you think of yourself as someone who is lost. » She explained to me. « Shopping is therapeutic. It'll make your stress diminish. »

« Fine. I'll go shopping with you. » I gave up.

« Great! We're going now. » She said.

« What? » I asked her. « Can't we go like tomorrow? »

« No, we are going now and you're going to enjoy yourself. » She demanded.

« Okay. I'll grab my purse. » I said to her.

* * *

Piper and I have been wandering in the Miami mall for an hour now. She has bought so many things I wonder if she asked me to come only so she could shop. Actually, I know it was a win-win situation, she wanted to help me feel better and get me out of the house and she wanted to shop. She's always been like that, but that how I like her.

Piper has been my best friend since I was three years old. We went to daycare together and we ended up at the same school.

We were inseparable before we moved to Québec City. She only lives a few houses away from my old house. She used to come to my place all the time. We used to have sleepovers with a couple of our other friends and talk until the early morning.

I would call her every night after school if we weren't together and we would talk for hours. You know that stereotype girl teenager from movies, that was us. At some point, I even considered her parents my second parents. They are so nice.

Actually, after being away, I realized how important she was to me. Not in a romantic way of course, but she's my best friend and no one can replace her. She's been there in my darkest hours, which is pretty much now, and I've always been there for her.

Piper and I used to live by the phrase: _A best friend is a sister God never gave you_. I know it's cliché and I am aware that I'm an atheist, but that phrase has some charm. Anyway, we used to say we were sisters in another life.

We lived everything together: entering middle school, entering high school, our first prom, our first date, our first kiss, our first slow dance, etc. I knew her like the back of my hand and she knew me like the back of her hand.

But we've grown apart and I realized now, while we were shopping for dresses, that I really really missed having her around. I do love Trish, she's a good friend, but I could never call her my best friend. Piper is.

« Do you like this dress? » She asked.

« Do you really need my opinion? You know you're the fashion expert. » I said to her and I chuckled.

« It's not for me silly, it's for you. » She exclaimed.

« What? You know I hate dresses. » I said to her.

« I know, but you need to dress a bit edgier, classier. » She said to me.

« I'm fine with my looks. » I whined.

« I know, but it doesn't mean we can't change it a bit. Come on. You'd look so pretty in that dress. » She said.

The truth is, the dress is really pretty. It's pink and has white flowers on it. It's not a tight dress. It's more like a sundress.

« I'll try it. » I said to please her. I hate wearing dresses. It makes me feel naked.

I went in a changing room and put the dress on. It hugged my curves perfectly. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I love it.

I opened the door the face Piper.

« Wow. » She said with a smile. « You look beautiful. »

« Thank you Pipes. » I responded.

« You know, Austin's jaw is going to drop when he sees you in this. » She told me.

« So that's why you wanted to bring me shopping. You want to make me prettier for Austin. » I said.

« No. I want to make you feel prettier, so you'll be more confident and then win Austin back. » She said.

« There's only one problem. » I said.

« What? » She asked completely oblivious about what I was going to say.

« I won't be able to wear that dress until late May. » I said.

« Why not? » She asked disappointed.

« Because three feet of snow are covering pretty much everything outside and that summer only comes back at the end of May. » I said to her. She laughed.

« Right, I forgot you were living in the North Pole. Maybe we could get you an elf outfit instead. » She suggested and I laughed.

« Of course. I'm sure I'd be the most attractive girl ever in that kind of outfit. » I said to her.

« Okay, let's go find winter-ish stuff now. » She said.

« That's gonna be hard in Miami. » I said.

« Don't underestimate my power. » She said.

« Alright. I'm buying the dress though. » I said to her and she smiled.

« I knew you'd like it. » She responded.

Piper and I continued shopping for another hour and a half. We were able to find cute clothes that were a bit edgier, but fit me perfectly. I bought a couple of pairs of skinny jeans, a couple of tank tops, a leather jacket, a jean jacket, crocheted shirts, etc. Let's just say it felt way different than my usual outfits: jeans and a sweater.

They say looks don't matter and I completely agree, but it does feel really nice to have new clothes and to feel pretty in them even if others don't like them. It makes me feel confident. What's wrong with being confident?

Piper and I were walking home with a lot of bags in our hands, but I was really satisfied with my day.

« Thank you Piper. » I thanked her.

« You know I love shopping. » She told me.

« No, thank you for being my best friend. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be crying over my fight with Austin. » I told her.

« Aww. I'm so glad I could help. You know, I really miss having you around. » She told me.

« I miss you too. » I responded. « Maybe you could come visit me in Québec someday. »

« That'd be great. » She said cheerily.

« And thank you for making me feel better. I did really enjoy shopping with you. You were right, it did clear my mind. » I said to her.

« Were you really doubting me? » She asked. « Shopping solves everything. »

I laughed.

It's been a while since I didn't force a laugh. I guess being away from Austin for a while has its perks even if it also has its disadvantages.

* * *

 **Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's a filler, but I needed time before next chapter, because something big is going to happen at the end of it. I really really really wish I'll have time to write the one after that too, because I can't put the story on hiatus with such a big cliffhanger…**

 **Anyway, thank you guys so much for reading this chapter, for your amazing reviews, for the favorites and for following.**

* * *

 **I'm not done writing next chapter (again XD). It's divided in two, but I can tease the first part:**

Austin's POV

« You put yourself in that situation. She was being honest and you were asking for too much. » Mimi told me.

« I'm sorry, what? » I asked.

« Don't deny it. I'm sure you are quite aware of that, but you can't admit verbally that you were wrong. » She said.

« I told you. It's like I'm destined to be unhappy. » I said to her.

« No. You're not. You're making yourself believe that so you don't have to make efforts to be happy. » She said on a serious tone and my face fell. What? Is she right? « I knew I'd hit a sensible cord. »


	25. Uh Oh

**Chapter 25  
Uh oh**

* * *

 **Austin's POV**

« Austin Monica Moon. What was that all about? » Mimi asked me sternly.

« What? » I asked playing dumb. I really wasn't down for this right now.

« She really wanted to talk to you. » Mimi responded.

« So? » I asked her.

« You could've apologized. » She said.

« I'm not in the mood for that discussion. » I said and I proceeded to walk away, but she grabbed my wrist.

« I'm tired of your attitude young man. » She said.

« Don't _young man_ me. » I said.

« Stop acting like a spoiled brat. » She said. Woah. She's never acted that way before. She was always so patient with me.

« You raised the spoiled brat. » I said.

« I will not accept you taking this tone with me. » She said. « Ally told me you kept pestering her about Miami and that you got mad over an honest answer. »

« So? She told me I gave her nothing. » I spat.

« You put yourself in that situation. She was being honest and you were asking for too much. » Mimi told me.

« I'm sorry, what? » I asked.

« Don't deny it. I'm sure you are quite aware of that, but you can't admit verbally that you were wrong. » She said.

« I told you. It's like I'm destined to be unhappy. » I said to her.

« No. You're not. You're making yourself believe that so you don't have to make efforts to be happy. » She said on a serious tone and my face fell. What? Is she right? « I knew I'd hit a sensible cord. »

« You think I make wrong decisions on purpose? » I asked her a bit taken aback.

« I think your subconscious is making you do things just so you have a reason to mourn over your family and not move on. » She said. My hands were forming fists now. Am I that stupid? I'm not mad at Mimi. I'm mad at myself.

« You think I can't move on? » I asked her.

« Austin… It's been five years and you still cry every night like it all happened yesterday. I know what you lived through was very hard, but you should be getting better by now. I'm not saying you should forget them. I'm just saying you should be able to accept what happened. » Mimi said to me.

I sat on the nearest chair. « I can't. I can't accept the fact that my father was a murderer. I can't accept the fact that I'll never see my Mom's smile or my sister's chubby cheeks again. It's too hard. » I said to her as tears were prickling my eyes. « As much as I appreciate everything you and Mike did for me, I can't replace them. »

« Austin… I'll never hope to replace them. I just want you to know that we are here for you and that we want to give you your best chance in life. We want to help you find happiness. » She said to me.

« Every time I think I'm on my way to happiness, I blow it. I told you. It's like forces greater than me want to make me suffer. » I said to her.

« You've got to stop thinking like that. You have to make efforts. You have to believe you can actually be happy. » She said to me.

« What do you want me to do? » I asked her. « I don't know how to be happy. »

« Start by listening to Ally's voicemail on your phone. » She said.

« What? » I asked.

« She called you earlier, but you didn't answer. » She told me. « You know, I really thought she was showing you the right path. I thought she was helping you. »

« She was, but I blew it. » I said to her. « You are right. What happened with Ally was my fault, not hers. How can I face her after that though? »

« Be honest. Tell her you were wrong and apologize. » She said.

« Easier said than done. » I said.

« I know you hate being wrong, but a part of growing up and becoming mature is to accept your mistakes. » She said to me.

« Thanks mom. » I told her.

I left the room and walked towards my room.

I opened the door and walked towards my drawers where my phone was laying. I really did have a voicemail.

I opened it.

 _Austin, hi. I know you probably don't want to talk to me. I mean I know you don't want to talk to me since you haven't answered any of my calls. You're probably going crazy right now with all the calls on your phone, but anyway. I'm rambling. I wanted you to know that I made a huge mistake. I know I was being unreasonable and I know I hurt you, but I never intended to. I was afraid. I was afraid that you didn't like me as much as I liked you. I understand now that all I've done is hurt you, and me. I really wish I could make it up to you. Being here in Miami made me realize something. I can't live away from you. All I ever do is think about you even when I'm three thousand miles away from you and with my entire family. I remember that you winced when I said Miami was home. It doesn't feel like it anymore. I may sound cheesy, but I realized that home isn't a place. Home is a feeling. Home is the feeling I get when I'm with you. Don't get me wrong, I love my family to death, but my life is incomplete without you. I know you might not want to talk to me ever again and nothing makes me sadder, but Austin Moon, I love you so fucking much it hurts._

I love you too Ally.

Tears were rolling down my cheeks. Did I really fuck up that bad?

Of course I did. That's what I always do. That's why I didn't have any friends. I don't know how to socialize.

I know I need to talk to her. I need to tell her she did nothing wrong. I did. I know I need to apologize. I'll do it when she comes back. I'd rather do it in person.

* * *

 **Ally's POV**

Alright, today is my last day in Miami. Our plane leaves at one o'clock which means we'll only get to Québec City at night. I don't think I'll go see Austin right away. I only talked to Trish twice during the break, so I'd like to see her. I mean, I feel like I've made my life about Austin lately and forgot about my friends. I think I was blinded by love. I don't know why. I know my happy ending isn't a guy. I've always been a bit insecure about that. I've never been in a serious relationship before and when I saw I had the chance to have one, I jumped on it. The truth is; I don't need a guy to be happy. Although, I do deeply love Austin, but I understood a couple of things while I was away. I understood that you've got to love yourself, that you've got to be confident to be in a stable relationship. I can honestly say I wasn't the most confident person ever, but seeing Piper and talking with her made me realize I should be proud of myself.

Austin was wrong to get mad at me because I gave him honest answers. I know he's insecure and I still want to help him, but I won't make my life about him. Not anymore. I'm still excited to see him.

« I can't believe you're leaving. I'm gonna miss you so much. » Piper said to me as I reached for my suitcase.

« I'll miss you too. Next time, it's your turn to come visit. » I said to her.

« Will do. » She said with a bitter smile.

« Ally, we've got to go. » My dad said.

I hugged Piper one last time and headed for my grand-parents' car. They were driving us to the airport.

About half an hour later, we reached the airport and then we hugged my grand-parents goodbye. They said they would visit us sometime.

We boarded the plane three hours later. I was sitting by the window and stared at the scenery below me. I still find it hard to imagine that I can be this high in the sky. Everything seems so small. It always makes me wonder about how we stress about little things, when we are actually an insignificant part of the universe.

Anyway the plane ride was eventless. I slept most of the time. I guess crying a lot makes you tired. We arrived at home an hour ago and I promised Trish I'd visit her tonight.

« Mom. » I said in a begging tone.

« What is it? » She asked suspiciously.

« Can I borrow the car? » I asked her.

« Why? » She asked me.

« I wanna go see Trish. » I explained.

« Sure. Come home before midnight please. A huge snowstorm is supposed to start around that time. » She explained worried.

« Don't worry. I'll be fine. » I said to her. « Thank you. I'll see you later. »

My mom gave me the keys and I headed for the door after I grabbed my jacket, my phone, my wallet and some mittens. I hate driving when the steering wheel is freezing.

I walked down the steps outside the front door and towards the car. I unlocked it and opened the door. I started the engine and then took the broom thing people use to take the snow off the car. I'm still not used to that. I hate doing that.

Once I was done, I sat behind the wheel and started driving. Trish doesn't live that far. It's about a ten-minutes car ride.

The roads weren't icy, but there was snow on them. I thought I'd love snow, but now that I've lived with it for a couple of months, I hate it. It's so annoying. It gets everywhere.

Anyway, I reached Trish's house, parked the car and knocked on the front door.

« Ally, hi. » Mrs. De la Rosa said.

« Hi. Is Trish here? » I asked her.

« Yes, come in. » She warmly said. That woman is so nice. I actually wonder how Trish can be so… Mean?

« Hey Ally. » I heard my Latina friend say.

« Trish! » I exclaimed. « It's so good to see you. »

« It's good to see you too. » She said and she hugged me.

* * *

Trish and I pretty much talked for the last two hours. She had so much to tell me. She said she met a boy during the holidays and that they went on a couple of dates. His name is Jace. Just the way she talks about him, I can tell she really cares for him. I told her about my trip to Miami and what Piper and I did. I showed her pictures of the clothes I bought with Piper. She loves fashion and I knew she would love to see that.

« You know, you are going to take Austin's breath away. » She said with a sneeky smile.

« I'm not doing this for Austin. » I defended. « I just felt like doing this. »

« Okay. » She said suspiciously. « Listen, about Austin…- She started to say, but I cut her off.

« What about Austin? Is he okay? Is he hurt? » I asked urgently.

« Ally calm down. I just wanted to apologize. » She said.

« About what? » I asked.

« I've been a terrible friend about the whole Austin thing. » She said. « I'm so sorry. »

« It's okay. I understand you were protective. » I said.

« I was, but I was so scared he'd hurt you and I guess I was a bit jealous about the fact that you're the one who cracked him up. » She explained.

« What do you mean? » I asked her definitely confused.

« Last year, Dez and I tried to become his friend. We felt sorry for him. We wanted to help him, but he pushed us away like he pushed you away at first. I guess I was mad about the fact that he opened up to you, but not to us. You're special to him Ally. »

« You really think so? » I asked her a bit surprised.

« Yeah, it's obvious. You're the first girl he ever flirted with. » She said.

« I guess. » I responded.

« I think I also owe you an apology. I realized I made my life about Austin recently and I don't want to do that anymore. I feel like I neglected you and Dez because of him. I want to change that. You guys are important to me and I definitely do not want to lose you. » I explained to her.

« Wow, Miami changed you. » She said laughing.

« Not Miami specifically, but being away. It made me realize that I do love Austin very much, but I can't make my life about him. If he can't accept that, I'll move on. » I explained to her.

« Wow, I'm impressed Ally. You're being really mature about this compared to before the break. » She said to me.

« Thanks. Piper taught me back in Miami that I should love myself first and then I could love others. That's what I want to do right now. I want to learn to love my flaws. I think I've grown a lot about that in the last couple of weeks. » I explained to her.

« Good for you Alls. » She said with a cheeky smile.

* * *

Trish and I decided to play Mario Kart after we talked for a couple of hours. She is currently beating the crap out of me. I suck at this game and she's really good.

« I'm so gonna win. » Trish said.

« Don't rub it in. » I responded. Then, I realized something.

« Trish, what time is it? » I asked her.

« Summer time? » She responded.

« Ha ha, real funny. Really, what time is it? » I asked again.

She paused the game and looked at her phone. « It's eleven twenty. »

« Shit. My parents wanted me to leave twenty minutes ago. I have to go. » I said to her.

I gathered my things and put my jacket on.

I stepped outside and was greeted by light snowing.

I walked to the car and opened the door. I started the engine and left the driveway.

The roads were a bit snowy, but everything was fine.

I drove for about fifteen minutes and then turned on a country kind of road. I hate that road. It's so bumpy.

Anyway, it was snowing a bit more now and it was hypnotizing. I kept the focus on the road and everything was fine. It was snowing more and more though. It was affecting the visibility.

I continued driving really carefully when I saw two headlights coming from the other side of the road. At first, I thought it was on the other side of the road, but the closer it got, I realized it was right in front of me coming my way.

I flashed my headlights to signal that something was wrong to the person, but the car didn't move.

I realized it was way to close.

I tried to move to the other lane, but the car had time to hit the back of mine.

It sent my car spinning and I ended up in the field.

I bumped my head somewhere and it really hurt.

I remember trying to escape the car that was now upside down, but I couldn't find the strength.

The last thing I remembered was flashing red and blue lights.

Then, my eyes closed and everything went dark.

* * *

 **How was that? I guess you were expecting something like that to happen. Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter was really really fun to write.**

 **Anyway, thank you guys so much for your support. I love reading your comments on the story. I want to thank all the readers for, well, reading, but also for reviewing, following and the favorites. It really means a lot to me. I also want to thank the Guest readers and the silent readers. You guys are also awesome!**

 **I'm so sorry, but I couldn't find time to completely write the next chapter, but I promise I'll do my best to have it done before March 20** **th** **. This is what happens when you have 3 three hours classes on Mondays and an internship on the other days…**

 **I love you guys and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	26. What happened to Ally

**Chapter 26  
What happened to Ally**

* * *

 **Austin's POV**

I saw the Dawson's arrive three days ago, but they disappeared again. I saw their car pulling in the driveway and I saw them walk inside with their luggage. Although, I realized yesterday that their car was gone and that there was no sign of life whatsoever in the house. I wonder where they can be.

I tried to call Ally a couple of times because I wanted to meet her. I think it's time I finally apologize to her.

She never answered. I guess she's still mad at me.

I tried to call Lester or Penny, but they didn't answer either. It's like they left.

Oh gosh.

I hope they didn't move away. I need to see Ally again.

I walked downstairs and went into the kitchen where I smelled the most amazing thing ever: pancakes.

"Morning mom." I said to Mimi.

"Morning Austin." She responded.

"Where's dad?" I asked her.

"He went to the store." She responded.

After five years, I finally started to treat them like parental figures. I guess it was time.

"Okay." I said.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"What?" I responded.

"Your face. You're wondering something. What's wrong?" She responded. She can always see through me. Sometimes, it's annoying.

"It's just, I've been trying to reach Ally since they arrived from Miami, but no one is answering, not even her parents. Do you know where they are?" I asked.

"No. I'm sorry." She told me while putting a plate of pancakes in front of me.

"Eat this; it'll make you feel better." She said with a smile.

"Thanks Mom." I responded.

When I was done eating my plate, I walked back to my room and tried to distract myself. What if Ally left forever? What if she hates me and doesn't want to see me anymore?

Anyway, I tried to play video games, but it didn't work. A part of me was telling me to get drunk, but another part wanted to respect my Mom's wish. I also thought about medicinal marijuana, but I have non left.

I ended up just laying in my bed and crying.

* * *

"Austin?" I heard my mom yell from across the house.

"What?" I responded as I walked downstairs to meet her.

"I just saw M. Dawson enter the house." She said. "You should try to call him."

"Did you see Ally?" I asked her.

"No, I'm sorry." She replied.

"I'll call him." I said.

I turned around and headed back to my room to get my phone. I dialed Ally's home phone number and waited for someone to answer.

It wrung two times before I heard M. Dawson's voice.

"Hello?" He answered.

"M. Dawson, this is Austin." I said to him.

"Hi Austin." He said.

"So, hum, is Ally here?" I asked.

"You don't know, do you?" He rhetorically asked.

"What do I not know?" I asked starting to feel nervous.

"She's been in a car accident." He choked out. I could feel he was crying.

"What?" I almost yelled.

"It happened three days ago. She's at the hospital. Unconscious. She's been in a coma for those three days and she hasn't woken up yet." M. Dawson explained and my heart broke. I was speechless.

"Austin?" I heard him ask.

I couldn't manage to get something out of my mouth.

"Austin?" He repeated. I heard him hang up.

I was frozen in place. I couldn't think straight.

Was this really happening?

Why does this keep happening to me?

Once I regained consciousness, I threw my phone against the wall and it smashed into pieces. I couldn't care less.

I was so angry I started throwing everything I could against the wall. When I ran out of things, I started screaming and hitting the wall.

I wasn't in control of myself anymore.

I knew my knuckles were bleeding, but I didn't care.

Eventually, I heard rushed footsteps and my door slammed opened. My adoptive parents were staring at me in shock.

"Austin, what's wrong?" Mimi asked me concerned

Those four words made me break apart.

I felt my legs wiggle and I fell on the floor. I put my knees to my chest and started sobbing.

I can't take this.

Why does this keep happening to me?

I remember it all in a blur, but I think Mimi sat down next to me.

She put an arm around me.

"Everything will be fine Austin." She kept telling me.

Will it?

Because last I remember, my dad killed my mother AND my sister. And now Ally's injured. Badly. In a coma.

Lester said she'll be fine, but she hasn't woken up in three days. How is that fine?

Why does life hate me?

What did I ever do wrong?

"Austin" Mimi said.

"What?" I managed to croak.

"What's wrong?" She asked again.

This time though, I was able to blurt out an answer.

"Ally" I said.

"What happened?" She asked.

"She was in a car accident." I said to Mimi.

"Where is she?" Mimi asked.

"At the hospital. Unconscious. She hasn't woken up in three days."

"Poor thing." Was all Mimi said.

"What if she doesn't wake up?" I asked between sobs. "What if she's gone?"

"She won't be. I'm sure she'll be fine." Mimi said.

"Will she?" I asked. "I can't lose her too Mom."

"You won't." She responded.

"I told you, it's like some invisible forces want to make me suffer." I responded.

"Stop telling yourself that. It's not true." She said bitterly.

"Ally wouldn't be in that situation if it wasn't true." I spat.

"Now, man up and go see her. You're legally an adult Austin. You need to be more mature." She said.

"I know. It's easier to just mourn." I sighed.

"Life isn't always easy Austin. Sometimes, you have to go through rough patches to find happiness." She wisely said. I always liked her for that. She always knows what to say. I guess being a social worker helps a lot.

"I hope you are right Mom." I said.

"I am right, I am always right." She grinned. I faintly laughed. "You know Austin, there is always a little rain before the rainbow."

"Thanks Mom." I said.

"Now, what are you going to do?" She asked.

"I'm going to see her." I said.

"I'm proud of you." She said.

"Thanks. I want you to come with me. I don't want to go alone." I asked sheepishly.

"Of course I'll come with you honey." Mimi responded with a huge smile.

* * *

My mom decided that it was better if she drove, so we took her car. Once we arrived at the hospital Ally was at, I stood in front of the large glass doors.

I was petrified. I knew what I was about to see would remind me of the past. I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"You must really love her." My mom said to me. "You've never acted that way about a girl before."

"Yeah." I responded sheepishly. "I don't know what I'd do without her. You were right. She did put me on the right path. She understood me when no one else could." I said. She frowned for a second, but her expression softened immediatly.

"I knew she was changing you. She's good for you Austin." She said smiling. "Now, are we going in?" She asked staring at the door.

"Yeah, we are." I said determined.

I pushed on the door, but it didn't open. Mimi laughed.

"Austin... It says pull on the door." She said and she chuckled.

I looked at her a bit embarrassed and then opened the door.

Here we go.

Mimi lead me to the front desk and there was a petite woman with grey hair behind it. She was on the phone and she somehow looked annoyed.

We waited patiently for a couple of minutes before her phone call ended. I frenetically tapped my fingers on the desk. The woman looked annoyed with my actions.

"May I help you?" She asked on a bored tone.

Wow, when you work in a hospital, you should be able to use proper communication techniques and you should be used to meeting stressed people. She just looked like she wanted us to leave her alone. How professional.

"Yes, we're here to see Ally Dawson." Mimi responded seeing I was annoyed with the woman.

"Let me check in what room she is." She said scrolling through her computer. She looked at it for a couple of seconds before actually giving us an answer.

"She is in room 307." She responded. "You just have to take the elevator to the third floor and then turn right and walk down the corridor."

"Thank you." Mimi answered politely as she grabbed my arm and dragged me to the elevator.

"I'm capable of following you you know." I said to Mimi. "I'm not a child anymore."

"I know. You looked distracted, but I wanted to get away from the desk as quickly as possible." She responded.

"You noticed how unprofessional she was too?" I asked a bit surprised.

"No, there were just a lot of people waiting behind us." She said as we steppes in the elevator.

After hearing the tremendous 'ding' signaling we arrived at the third floor, the doors opened and we walked towards the direction the secretary gave us.

There it was.

Room 307.

I was about to twist the doorknob and my mother was right behind me when the doorknob twisted and it revealed Penny whose eyes were wet.

"Austin." She exclaimed looking surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Ally." I responded. "I really need to see her."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. This is just too much." She said as a tear escaped her left eye.

"It's okay Mrs Dawson. I understand." I responded.

"So, you learned about the accident?" Penny stated and asked at the same time.

"Yeah, I spoke to M. Dawson." I responded.

"Why don't you and I chat for a bit?" Mimi suggested to Penny. "And let Austin go see Ally."

"Sure." She responded. "Make sure to be careful around the tubes and the other medical stuff."

Wait? Was she in a condition that bad? I know the accident will leave scars, but Lester only said she was in a coma. What if she has a broken back?

I watched as Mimi and Penny walked to the waiting room and took a couple of seconds before turning around to face the door to Ally's room.

When I did, I twisted the doorknob and opened the door.

I carefully closed it behind me and looked around. The room was white and green and there was an empty bed on front of me. The room was separated in two by a curtain, Ally must be behind it.

I slowly walked towards the other side of the curtain.

When I did, my eyes landed on her. Her fresque body was pale. All sorts of tubes were attached to her and she had breathing aids.

Her eyelids were obviously closed and her face was expressionless. The monitor beside her beeped to mimic her heartbeat. It seemed stable, which is a good thing.

She had few scratches, cuts and bruises on various part of her body, but everything seemed under control. She didn't look injured. I mean, it didn't look like she had broken bones or bled a lot. Then again, the accident happened three days ago. How could I have missed that?

I sat on the chair right beside Ally's hospital bed and slowly, but carefully took her right hand between mine.

It was cold and stiff. Definitely not like I remembered it.

"I miss you so much." I whispered to her as tears filled my eyes.

Seeing her like this makes it real. When I was home, I did not want to believe it and nothing could prove it to me. Now, I have my proof.

"I'm so sorry about everything I've said Ally. I was an idiot and you did nothing wrong." I whispered still holding her hand.

"I tried to keep you to myself and I shouldn't have. Just know that you mean everything to me." I said and tears were now rolling down my cheeks.

"I can't live without you anymore Ally. You know, you always said that you wanted to help me and I've always implied that I didn't want your help. The truth is, I didn't even realize how much you've help me. You helped me step out of my shell. You, along with Mimi, helped me realize that I could still be happy. You put me on the right path and for that, I am forever thankful. I love you Alls." I told her. I knew she couldn't hear me, but finally verbalizing this to her feels really good

I lightly squeezed her hand and then let it go. I placed it carefully beside her on the bed making sure I don't unplug anything.

"You know, right now, I wish we were Snow White and Charming and wake you up with true love's kiss." I said looking at her expressionless face.

I turned around to exit the room to find my mother with teary eyes.

"W-were you listening to all of this?" I asked her sheepishly.

"Maybe." She admitted. "How are you?" She asked.

Three words. Three words that made me fall apart again.

She just hugged me and hold on to me while I was sobbing.

Fucking feelings.

"It's so hard to see her like this Mom. I'm really scared she won't wake up." I said to her between sobs.

Then, I saw a doctor walking towards Ally's room.

I walked towards him and spoke to him before he could enter.

"How is she?" I asked the doctor.

"Her condition is stable. There wasn't any internal bleeding and there are no broken bones. She was extremely lucky. She could've died instantly." He responded.

"Is she going to wake up?" I asked.

"Considering her state, she should wake up eventually, but we don't know when. She has a pretty bad concussion, so it's hard to tell." He responded.

"Thank you, doctor." I said and I turned around to face my mother as the doctor walked into Ally's room.

"Mom, I want to get flowers for Ally." I said determined.

"How sweet." She said happily. "Let's go."

We took the car and drove to the nearest florist.

I bought five hibiscuses. They're Ally's favorite. It wasn't really cheap, but I didn't care. That hospital room was too dull. It needed something more.

We also stopped at the dollar store and bought a cute vase. I'm sure Ally would love this.

When we went back to the hospital, we immediately took the elevator to the third floor and walked towards Ally's room. A nurse was exiting the room when we got there.

"How is she?" I asked the blonde middle-aged woman.

"She's stable. Everything is fine." She responded.

"Great." I said through a fake smile. For me, being fine is being awake. Not in a coma. "May I put these on the table beside her bed?" I asked the nurse.

"Of course you can." She said with a smile. "I don't mean to intrude your personal life, but is she your girlfriend?" The woman asked. I scoffed.

"Not exactly. It's complicated." I responded with the truth.

"Well, you can't deny your love for her." She said cheekily.

"What? How can you tell?" I asked a bit surprised.

"You look at her and act like a married couples in this kind of situation. Trust me; I witnessed a lot of that." She said.

"I can imagine. I do love her." I responded.

"She'll be fine. Her condition is stable and everything is looking for the best." She reassured me.

"Thank you for your encouragement." I responded.

"Why don't you go put those flowers on that table?" She suggested.

I smiled at the middle-aged woman and then walked to Ally's room. I quickly reached her bed and put the vase on the table after I put water in it. I put the flowers in it and admired them. I chose hibiscus since they are her favorite, but I also chose her favorite color, red.

I also bought a card with a cute little kitty. I know she loves kitten and can't resist their adorableness. Inside, i wrote a simple, but meaningful message.

 _Even in our darkest days, I'll never stop fighting for you. I love you._

I put the card beside the flower and carefully took Ally's hand even if it was almost lifeless.

"Please come back to me." I whispered as tears filled my eyes and slowly made their way down my cheeks. I stayed in that position for a while before my mother came to get me to take me home. I asked her for a minute.

"Ally, I'll visit you every day and I'll bring a new flower everyday so you don't run out of them. I love you." I whispered and kissed her hand right before letting go of it.

The pain I was feeling was comparable to the pain I was feeling when I was at my mother and sister's funerals.

It's like everything is over.

It's like I lost everything.

 **I officially think this was my favorite chapter to write so far. I really loved how it turned out. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I do.**

 **Thank you so so much for reading and still following this story. I also want to thank everyone for the follows, favorites and the amazing reviews. I love to see that this story makes you guys react so much.**

 **So, this was officially the last chapter I had time to write. This story will be put on hiatus until May unless I find time to write somehow. Next update will be the week of May 13** **th** **since my semester ends on May 10** **th** **.**

 **Thank you all for your amazing support!**

 **Peace out :)**


	27. Taking Care of Her

**Chapter 27**

 **Taking Care of Her**

* * *

 **I'm back! I know this chapter is not as long as usual, but I really wanted it to end there and I wanted to give you guys a little something after so long. I hope you'll enjoy it.**

* * *

Four.

Fours hibiscuses.

I've added four since I first went to see her at the hospital. She hasn't woken up yet.

The doctors say she's fine and that she'll wake up eventually. They can't say when though. They do not know.

I've tried to keep my cool, but it's hard. Seeing people you love die is intense and no one should see this with their own eyes, but seeing someone you love between life and death for days is worse.

I want to stay hopeful. I want to believe she'll be fine. I want to believe that she'll be in my arms soon.

Sadly, another part of me is trying to move on.

This situation is so frustrating. I don't want to move on.

I don't want to lose her.

She was the first person to ever crack me up. She was the first person to see the boy behind the mask.

I've spent my time at the hospital for the last four days. Yes, school has started and I have skipped school. This time though, I made an arrangement with the teachers and the principal. I explained the situation to them and they found a way for me to not be behind the others in my studies.

I am surprised that they agreed, but I am glad. I'm glad they don't see just a troubled teenager anymore.

Anyway, as I was saying I've been with Ally during all of the visiting hours for the last four days.

I haven't left her side.

As cliché as it may sound, I've been reading her her favorite book: the Harry Potter series. I found myself really enjoying those books too.

I lost interest in the movies, but the books are really good.

I've been trying to keep myself busy to not fall into depression again.

I can say that I am handling myself better now.

Ally's condition is still normal, well for someone in a coma.

The doctors are still saying she'll wake up soon. They think the coma will only last a couple of weeks maximum.

This is way too long.

I remember telling Trish about Ally's condition. She thought a couple a days was way too long.

I remembered telling this to Trish and Dez.

I was at school. It was the moment I was dealing with the principal to be able to be by Ally's side.

 _"Austin?" I heard a female voice say._

 _I turned around to see Ally's Latina friend._

 _"What happened to you?" She asked. "You're a mess."_

 _It was true. I was a mess at that time and I still am. At that time, I hadn't slept in three days. Well, since I learned about the accident_

 _"I know. It's because I am." I said as I saw my ginger friend walk towards us._

 _"What happened?" Dez asked worriedly._

 _"It's Ally." I said choking on my words. They looked confused._

 _"You don't know?" I asked a bit shocked. I was sure M. Dawson would have called them._

 _"Ally's been in a car accident." I said._

 _"Oh my god. Is she..." Trish couldn't finish her sentence. Dez just looked plain shocked._

 _"She's at the hospital. In a coma." I said looking down._

 _"Will she be okay?" Trish asked._

 _"I don't know. She hasn't woken up since it happened." I responded._

 _"When did this happen?" Trish asked._

 _"When she left your house four days ago." I responded._

 _"This is my fault. I shouldn't have invited her." Trish said with tears in her eyes._

 _"It's not your fault Trish. You had no idea something like that would happen." I told her._

 _"I know, but I shouldn't have invited her at night when she had to drive in the dark and in the snow." She said while tears were slowly escaping her eyes._

 _"The doctors say she's going to wake up soon, but they don't know when." I explained._

 _"I don't know if this is good news or not." Trish said while Dez still looked shocked._

 _"I keep trying to convince myself that it is." I sighed._

 _"She'll be fine buddy, I know it." Dez said._

 _"Thanks Dez." I said._

 _"You're in love with her, aren't you?" Trish asked._

 _"Yeah, I am." I said sheepishly while my cheeks were slowly turning red._

 _"I never thought I'd see this day." Trish said._

 _"What do you mean?" I asked her a bit confused._

 _"The day you'd fall in love. You've always been such a loner." She explained. She is right in a way, but when I was alone, I always wished someone would save me and now, someone has._

 _"I guess." I responded._

 _"Look, Austin, I'm sorry about all the things I said. I'm sorry I believed those rumors and tried to keep Ally away from you." She apologized._

 _"Is Trish really apologizing to me?" I asked looking at Dez._

 _"She is." He responded._

 _"I can see that you really do care about her and want the best for her. That's all a girl could ask for." She said. I laughed_

 _"What?" She asked. "I'm apologizing and you laugh." She said a bit insulted._

 _"I just feel like you're giving me the parents' speech about how I can date their daughter." I said._

 _Realization hit her. I could see it in her eyes._

 _"Sorry." She said. "Can you take us to see Ally?"_

 _"Yeah, of course." She said._

 _So, obviously, I took them to see Ally and everything didn't go so well. Trish cried a lot and Dez did too._

 _Trish was discouraged about the fact that the doctors didn't know when she was going to wake up and she might have yelled at them. They did everything they could to calm her, but they had to kick her out. Dez followed her so she wouldn't be alone._

 _They left me alone with almost lifeless Ally._

* * *

I am in Ally's hospital room right now and I've been for the past two hours. This time though, I'm not reading her Harry Potter I've decided to tell her the story about how I fell in love with her.

I told her about how I felt when I first saw her in the school bus and how I already knew she would be special to me. I told her about the first dinner her family and mine had together and how I left because I couldn't shake the feeling of her importance in my life away.

I told her everything. I told her about how she made me feel wonderful and loved when we kissed. I told her about how I've been dying to kiss her again, but was too afraid of losing another person I love.

The whole time I told her that, I held her hand tightly between mine. Then, I heard the machine connected to her beep faster and louder. I started to panic.

"Doctor, doctor." I screamed at the top of my lungs. What's happening? Is she okay? Is something wrong?

I heard someone rush through the door and they immediately rushed towards Ally.

"Is something wrong?" I asked almost hyperventilating.

"It's fine. It will be fine." The doctor responded trying to sound sure of him.

At that moment, a nurse walked into the room and the doctor instructed her to escort me out. So she did. She asked me to leave, but it was like I couldn't hear anything. She took me by the arm and escorted me out of the room.

The nurse told me it would be better if I go and do something to change my mind and only come back tomorrow.

I did leave the hospital after that did things Ally wouldn't be proud of. What if that was it? What if she was gone?

I went to the nearest SAQ (liquor store in Québec) and bought a bottle of rum.

I know, I know, I promised I wouldn't fall back into my bad habits, but I couldn't take it anymore. I knew my parents weren't home, so I could lock myself into my too and drink my sorrows. Why does life hate me so much?

I might or might not have broken a few fingers, well, they looked broken to me, after hitting the wall in my room and I might or might not have created a hole in the wall.

At some point, I drank so much I passed out.

I only woke up the next morning because mom was shaking me.

"Wake up Austin." She said dryly.

I slowly opened my eyes, but the light was hurting them and giving me a headache. When I finally opened them completely, I noticed Mimi looked very angry.

"What?" I asked.

"What's this?" She asked as she held the almost-empty bottle of rum in front of my face.

I looked away. I promised her I wouldn't fall into my bad habits again.

"I'm sorry." I muttered sheepishly. I knew she wasn't really proud right now. "I can't do this anymore."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Trying to be good. Everytime I try, something always brings me down. It' like life doesn't want me to be happy." I explained with tears prickling my eyes.

"Austin... Happiness comes from within, not from others." She said to me. "I know you love her, but your life cannot depend on her."

"Sometimes I think it would've been better for me if he killed me too." I murmured.

"Austin Monica Moon, don't you dare say that again." Mimi almost shouted. "If life threw you that obstacle, it was because you were strong enough to handle it."

"Are you sure it wasn't just to make me suffer? Because that's pretty much the only thing I've ever felt." I said a bit louder.

"What happened to get you so angry?" She asked on a normal tone.

I looked down. "Yesterday, I was at the hospital like usual and the monitor started to beep louder and faster. Doctors and nurses came rushing in and they escorted me out without telling me what was going on." I explained as a couple of tears rolled down my cheeks.

"That might be a good sign." Mimi said to me.

"Or a bad one." I retorted.

"Why don't we go to the hospital to find out?" Mimi suggested.

"I don't know if I have the heart to do this." I responded.

"I'm not giving you a choice." She said firmly. "Now, go take two aspirins a drink a glass of water. It'll with your hangover."

I silently obeyed my mother. I hate it when she's right.

We reached the hospital about an hour later. A shower did me some good and now we were standing in front of the giant glass doors.

We walked directly to Ally's room only to be greeted by her doctor.

"Hello, how is she?" Mimi asked.

"I have to tell you that we almost lost her yesterday. Her heart beat slowed down and almost stopped, but we were able to reanimate her. She is fine now. You can go see her." He explained. At least she's not dead.

Mimi and I entered the room only to find Lester, Penny, Trish and Dez around her bed. I couldn't even see her.

We walked closer after they all greeted us and made room for us around her bed.

That's when I saw her beautiful brown eyes.

"Austin..." She whispered with a faint smile on her face.

"Ally." I said as two tears rolled down my cheeks.

I kneeled beside her and took her hand between mine.

"You're awake." I said with a smile that wasn't going to leave my face anytime soon.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I wanted to thank you all for your support even if I hadn't updated for about a month. Thank you for your amazing reviews and feel free to say what you think :)**


	28. Finally

**Chapter 28  
Finally**

* * *

 _That's when I saw her beautiful brown eyes._

 _"Austin..." She whispered with a faint smile on her face._

 _"Ally." I said as two tears rolled down my cheeks._

 _I kneeled beside her and took her hand between mine._

 _"You're awake." I said with a smile that wasn't going to leave my face anytime soon._

* * *

"I am." She whispered clearly, unable to speak louder.

I raised my hand and cupped one of her cheeks. I slowly rubbed my thumb on it making sure it was real.

"We're gonna leave you two alone for a bit." I heard my mom say and everyone left the room, but I wouldn't have noticed if someone stayed, because Ally was the only thing I was seeing right now.

I kept looking at her and all of her beautiful features. I couldn't process what was happening. She really was awake. That's when I burst into tears. She is my only weakness. Except for Mimi, she's the first person whom I let them see me cry.

I'm such a mess right now. I should be jumping of joy, but no, my eyes decided that a river needed to flow on my cheeks. I guess that's what happens when you keep your emotions bottled up for so many years.

"I was so scared I lost you." I whispered as sobbed escaped my mouth, again. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to stop myself. I was feeling so many things at the same time. I think happiness and relief were my strongest emotions right now.

She smiled sympathetically and she just put her hand on mine.

"I was so scared you'd be gone forever." I whispered. "You mean everything to me."

"I'm so sorry about what I said before you left. I was being fucking stupid. I wasn't reasonable and I know that now. You didn't do anything wrong. You answered honestly and I shouldn't be mad about the truth. I should be-

Ally cut me off. "Austin." She whispered. Her voice. It was so nice to hear her beautiful voice again. Man, I'm so madly in love with her.

"Let me finish. Please." I demanded shyly.

"Okay." She whispered still holding my hand. I made sure to intertwine our fingers and to hold on tight.

"As I was saying, I should be grateful to have you in my life. I shouldn't have pressured you into tell me I was your everything, because that's not fair for you. Except for Mike and Mimi, I don't have a family, but you do and you should cherish that. I guess I envy you in that way and that's why I wanted you to tell me I was more important than your family. I wanted to be your family." I explained and then I gulped. She just looked at me stunned.

"I love you. So much." I said to her and tears filled her eyes. Tears never stopped escaping mine.

"I know you do." She said with a warm smile. The one that makes me melt and swoon at the same time.

"You don't have to say it if you don't feel that way." I said sheepishly. She just woke up and I am already telling her I'm in love with her. I need to learn how to express myself correctly without causing awkwardness.

Then, a nurse walked into the room.

"Ms Dawson, I'm glad to see you've awoken. How are you feeling?" The nurse asked completely oblivious to the discussion Ally and I were having.

"My head hurts like crazy, but I couldn't be happier." She said looking into my eyes. I just blushed. Yes. Austin Moon does blush, especially when he's a mess like this.

"You were very lucky. You could've died on the impact, but you didn't. I guess you had unfinished business in this world and that it wasn't your time to go. The doctors did an excellent job at keeping you alive." She explained.

"I'm so glad so many doctors took care of me. I owe them my life." Ally said staring at me.

"They were just doing their job. Besides, you owe a lot to your boyfriend too. I've never seen someone so devoted to their significant other. He got an arrangement with the school and he stayed with you everyday for all of the visiting hours. He told you stories. He told you how much he loved you and I even heard him reading you the Harry Potter series. You're so lucky to have him." She said bitterly. I guess she doesn't lead a palpitating romantic life.

'I know. He is an amazing boyfriend. I don't know what I'd do without him." Ally responded. What? I just stood there and smiled like an idiot.

"I'll be back a bit later to check on you." The nurse said to Ally as she exited the room.

I immediately turned to Ally and raised and eyebrow.

"Boyfriend?" I asked teasing.

"Well, the nurse interrupted us and I never got to react to what you told me." She said playfully.

"Well? I'm waiting." I said as I squeezed her hand between mine.

"Love is a complicated thing and it should take years to develop that kind of feeling. I know not everyone gets to be fully in love and few people get to experience the beauty of it. Not everyone is that lucky." She started to say and she was making me kind of anxious.

"But, ever since I met you, I felt something, like a connection. My feelings only grew stronger and stronger every time I saw you and I realized what those weird feelings were the night I went on a date with Elliot. Remember that night? The date was awful and I went to the river to think and you joined me. You told me that I gave you hope and I told you I believed in love at first sight. For me, that's a fair sign of love at first sight. I'm in love with you Austin and I've never been so sure of anything in my entire life."

I raised her hand to my face and kissed it with lots of emotions going through me, but mostly happiness and love.

I wasn't too sure of what I should have done now. Can I kiss her or is she too weak for that now? I'm dying to kiss her again.

"What are you thinking about? She asked as I snapped out of my thoughts and took a glance at her beautiful lips.

"Whether I should kiss you or not." I said sheepishly, but truthfully.

"Would it hurt?" She asked. She sounded needy, but I loved it.

"I don't think you'd be able to handle it in your condition." I explained and she raised an eyebrow playfully. I don't want to risk hurting her in her condition. She just woke up from a coma after all.

"I think you are the one who wouldn't be able to handle it." She said smirking.

Fuck it. I immediately leaned in and crashed my lips on hers. I felt her smirk, but then she kissed back.

It wasn't like the first time we kissed. It wasn't filled with lust and sexual desire. It wasn't full of teenage hormones. It was a kiss filled with passion and emotion, like two soul mates finally found each other. It was sweet, but it was the best kiss I've ever shared with any girl.

Our lips moved in perfect harmony. The kiss was slow but intense. Her hands were playing with the hair at the crook of my neck and my hands were gently resting on her back. Our position was kind of awkward though since she was still half laying and half sitting in her hospital bed. It wasn't the most comfortable thing, but I couldn't care less. I finally admitted my feelings without being scared of them and I am kissing the love of my life. I sound cheesy, don't I?

At some point, I felt tears on my face, but I didn't know if they were from her or from me. When we pulled a part, she pulled my closer and rested her head against my shoulder and I realized we were both crying.

"I'm never letting you go again." She whispered in my ear.

I just tightened my grip on her and somehow, I knew everything was going to be okay.

"I love you." I whispered in her ear as I held her close to me like she's the most precious thing in the world. Wait, she is the most precious thing in my world.

"I love you too." She whispered back. I pulled away and kissed her again. I needed to feel her lips on mine again. It was addicting. At least, it was a good addiction, not like drugs or alcohol.

"Ally! I heard you just woke-

Trish started to say as she barged into the room, but she froze and her jaw dropped for a couple of seconds. Ally and I jumped and I pulled apart quickly sitting on the chair beside her bed in a not so subtle way.

"Finally." She almost yelled. "It's about time you guys finally made up. Is it official?"

"Yes. It is." I responded more than happily as I made sure her hand was still between mine.

"And Ally, you really are awake." Trish stated.

"Yeah, I am. I was very lucky." Ally responded.

"Well, I'm so glad you were that lucky and I'm sorry I invited you to my place that night knowing there was going to be a snow storm." Trish apologized to Ally. Wow. I've only heard her apologize to someone once and it was because of the whole Elliot thing.

"It's okay Trish. I'm the one who wasn't careful enough. I lost track of time and didn't take my mother's suggestion seriously." Ally responded.

"Don't put the fault on anyone. It wasn't anyone's fault. Let's just be glad Ally is alive and okay and my girlfriend." I said to both of the girls. It's good to say that out loud.

"Wow. You must be really happy about this." She said to tease me. "You've never been so straight forward."

"Love changes you Trish." I stated.

"I can see that." She responded.

"So, Ally, do you know how long they'll keep you here?" Trish asked and I looked expectantly at Ally. Was she coming home soon? I certainly wish. I want to fall asleep beside her. I want to hold her close to me and tell her I love her every time I want to.

"I don't, actually, but I guess they'll keep me here for a couple of days." Sh said. "I don't necessarily feel fantastic right now."

"Yeah, I can imagine. I guess we'll come back to see you tomorrow. You need to take it easy." Trish. "Are you coming Austin?"

"Nah, I'll stay with her a little longer." I responded.

Trish left the hospital and my family and Ally's family came into the room here and now for like two hours while I just stayed in the room with Ally.

I ended up dozing off next to her in her bed. She fell asleep too and her head rested on my chest.

"Aren't they cute?" I heard a female voice ask and it woke me up.

I opened my eyes only to see my mother and my father.

"Visiting time is over Austin. We have to leave." She said to me.

I gently put Ally's head back on her pillow and pulled my right arm away from her shoulders. I slowly sat on the bed and then stood up. I kissed her forehead and joined my adoptive parents.

I walked towards the door with Mimi and turned around to take one last glance at Ally sleeping peacefully.

A gentle smile crept its way on my face.

I face the door again and we headed for the car.

"So?" She asked.

"What?" I asked.

"You know what I'm talking about. What happened between you two?" Mimi asked expectantly.

"Well you know, she woke up and we talked-

"And?" She asked almost getting annoyed not realizing I was messing with her.

"I apologized and I told her how I felt." I responded and she smiled.

"I'm proud of you Austin. You've finally embraced your feelings. I believe she took it really well though?" She asked since she saw us sleeping in each others embrace.

"She did. She told me she was in love with me too." I responded as my cheeks became redder and redder.

"Awwwwww. My baby's in love" she cooed.

"Mom." I scolded. "People are watching."

"Austin, there is absolutely no one around except your dad. I'm just so happy for you. My baby is finally happy." She said in a baby voice. "So, you guys are dating?"

"Yeah. We are." I said with a warm smile.

"I told you you should have faith." She teased.

"I know. I'm sorry I doubted you. It's just, it's hard to think good things are actually going to happen to me after what my real dad did. It's like he never cared for us at all. I wish he were a better man. I wish he would've done nice things for us." I explained.

"I understand Austin, but you know, people aren't all bad. People don't always have only bad in them. Some of them have some good in them as well as some bad." She explained and it got me confused. Does she know something I don't?

"I guess, but I don't think I'll ever forgive him for what he did." I affirmed.

"I understand honey." She said. "Now, let's go home."

She stared at me for a couple of seconds.

"You're so love-struck." She teased.

"Yeah, yeah, get used to it." I responded. I can't believe that day has finally come. I cannot believe I'm let a girl in and let her mess with my feelings.

I never thought one person could change all of your life.

* * *

 **Well, that was chapter 28. I had fun writing it, but I feel like it's a bit cheesy. Who doesn't like a bit of cheesiness though? I'm sorry I didn't update in a month. I was so busy with exams, papers, projects, my internship, etc., but all of it is over. As a matter of fact, I'm done with college and I am now off to university during the fall. (Yes, college and university are two different things where I live.) Anyway, thank you all for your amazing support and all of the amazing reviews. You have no idea how much it means to me. So, now that I am done with school and am on a break until the end of June, I'll have plenty of time to write (I hope). Someone wondered if Ally waking up was a dream and I confirm that it is reality and that she really is awake.**

 **Peace out :)**


	29. Home

**Chapter 29  
Home**

* * *

 **Austin's POV**

It has been four days since Ally fully woke up. Things kept going better and better.

Her head didn't hurt as much and all of her cuts and bruises were starting to fade away. She was regaining her normal strength and the doctors allowed her to walk in a hospital and she has been doing a bit of physical therapy to make sure everything was working.

I have spent all of me time with her during the visiting and we would chat about pretty much anything.

Everyone knew we were a couple now and for the first time ever, I was really happy to announce it. I always believed love was weakness, but now I realize it isn't. It makes you stronger and makes you act in a better way. I can say it did changed me. I'm not saying I forgot everything that happened and forgave my father, because I didn't, but I feel like I'm slowly starting to make better decision and this is progress for me. I did also realized that I cannot rely on love and put all of my efforts into it to be happy. To ba happy, I do need to let go of the past and think about the future and I am thrilled that this future is with Ally, Mike and Mimi.

"Today is the big day Ally." A doctor exclaimed as he walked into the room.

"What's so special about today?" She asked.

"All of your vital conditions have been doing fantastic and you've been doing great in physical therapy, so we decides it was time you got home." He exclaimed.

"Seriously?" She asked enthusiastically.

"Yes. We'll have a nurse call you everyday and you'll have to come in once a day for the next week to make sure everything is still fine." The doctor explained to my girlfriend. Wow, I love saying that.

"Well, that is fantastic. I cannot wait to be in my own house again." She said.

"We Austin's here, but your parents are on their way to get you." He said.

"Great. We'll just have to wait for them then." She said with a wide smile.

The doctor exited the room leaving only Ally and me here. I also had a wide smile on my face.

"Finally." She said looking into my eyes. "I cannot wait to be home."

"I cannot wait to gaze at the stars with you, to watch a movie on the couch and have you dozing of on my chest, to kiss you goodnight." I said a bit sheepishly. Love was making me cheesy though, but I loved it.

"Aww. I cannot wait to do that with you too." She said as she stood up and hugged me. Our bodies fit perfectly together and I could rest my chin on her hand.

"You're so small." I teases her.

"I know and that's one of the things you first told me." She said.

"That's right. I did. Can you honestly say that it was a good idea to jump to wash the board?" I asked her with a smirk.

"Maybe not, but I wanted to prove you that I could do it." She said.

"Why?" I asked her.

"Because I wanted to prove you wrong and maybe I wanted to show off a bit." She responded sheepishly.

"Show off? Did you like me back then?" I asked.

"No, but you were interesting and I wanted you to take an interest in me." She said and she looked down.

"Believe me, I did." I replied in all honesty.

"Really?" She asked with a spark in her eyes.

"Yes. I pushed you away because I was scared of what I felt." I told her.

She separated herself from me for a couple of inches and then she cupped my face. She pulled it towards her and delicately put her lips on mine. Everytime she kissed me, I felt that same spark in my entire body.

When we pulled apart, I whispered in her ear. "I love it when you take control like that." I'm sure she was blushing at that point.

"Well, you make me do crazy things M. Moon." She responded and she winked.

"Did I ever tell you how attractive and beautiful you were?" I said. She smiled widely.

"Stop it with the cheesiness." Ally's father said as he walked in the room.

I looked away. I knew Ally's dad wasn't exactly fond on me and that I'd have to prove I was worthy of his daughter.

"Are you ready to go, sweetie?" Ally's mom asked.

"Yes. I am." Ally responded proudly. "I cannot wait to be back into our house. It was getting super boring here when it wasn't visiting hours."

"Well, let's go princess." Her dad said.

* * *

We made it to our houses about an hour later. Ally was more than happily skipping to the front porch of her house.

"Take it slowly, babe." I said to tease her.

"Don't ever call me that again." She warned.

"Why?" I whined.

"I don't like it. It's not classy." She said.

"Classy?" I interrogated.

"Yeah." She said sheepishly.

"Okay, minou." I said.

"What?" She asked confused.

"You don't want me to call you babe, so, from now on, I'll call you minou." I explained.

"I got that part, but what does it mean?" She asked.

"It's a normal nickname in French. It basically means kitty cat." I said to Ally.

"Minou." She repeated. "It has a nice ring to it." She smiled, so I smiled.

"Ally. Are you coming home or not?" Her father asked. Well, I guess he still doesn't like me.

"I'm coming." She said. "I'll see you later?" She asked.

"Obviously. I want to take care of my beautiful girlfriend." I responded.

She walked closer and she kissed me chastely. "I love you."

I smiled. "I love you too."

With that, she walked away and I walked to my house.

* * *

 **Ally's POV**

I would've liked for Austin to come home with me, but I guess we still have a few adjustments to make with my dad first.

I love my dad and I know he's only acting that way to protect me. I know he also has trouble accepting the fact he's not the only man I'll ever love.

Anyway, it feels so good to finally be back home. I can't believe how much I missed it.

Being at the hospital and being in a coma made me realize that I'm not necessarily grateful of what I already have. I mean, I have a wonderful family, I have an amazing boyfriend. I have incredible friends and a roof over my head.

I've got everything someone could wish for and I still wanted more. I do know now that I was greedy. I could've died, but I didn't. That's why I need to be thankful.

I walked to my room and opened the door. Everything still looked like it did before I left for Miami. Nothing had moved from its place.

I sat on my bed and took my phone. I had like thirty unread messages from Piper.

Hey Ally. Did you make it home safe?

Ally? Answer me.

Are you okay?

Ally, I'm anxious over here.

This isn't funny.

Oh my god, Ally. I just learned about what happened. I'm crying so hard right now. Please be alright. You're strong. You can wake up.

These were only a couple of the messages she sent me. I took my lap top and opened it. I immediately pressed on the Skype icon and called her.

"Ally?" She asked as she batted her eyelids a couple of times to make sure she was seeing clearly.

"Hey Pipes." I told her.

"You're awake?" She asked.

"I am. I woke up about five days ago, but I was only able to leave the hospital today." I explained.

"Thank god you're alright." She said. "I was so scared you weren't going to make it."

"Everyone was pretty scared, but I am fine now. I still have physical therapy, but other than that, I'm totally fine." I responded and she smiled.

"I guess you won't be driving in the snow for a while." She stated.

"I guess so. I don't want that happening again." I said.

"So, other than that, how are you?" She asked and I knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Fantastic." I said with a huge smile.

"Uh? You've talked to Austin or you've moved on? Which one?" She guessed.

"First one." I said.

"You guys made up?" Piper asked me.

"More than that. We're together now." I proudly responded.

"Like together together?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." I said.

I told her about everything he told me at the hospital when I first saw him after I woke up and how we made up. I told her about how he told me he loved me and how I told him I also loved him. Her eyes lit up as I told her everything.

"This is so cute." She cooed. "It's like in movies."

"I wouldn't go that far, but everything is wonderful." I said.

"I told you, you got it bad and not just now, from the beginning." She teased.

"So, how are you and Gavin?" I asked her. I knew they were seeing each other, but she never told me the details.

"Well, he took me out a couple of times." She started, but she was talking very slowly to tease me. "We went out to a fancy dinner last night. He told me to wear something elegant and classy. It was the best meal ever and then we danced like they do in movies. When he dropped me at my place, he walked me to the front door and then he kissed me." She explained.

"OMG Piper! This is fabulous. You guys make such a great couple!"

"I'm so happy that you're happy. I just wished we were able to double date or something." She replied.

"One day. Maybe I could go to Miami with Austin." I said.

Allllyyyyyy

I heard my dad calling for me.

"I've got to go. I'll talk to you later?" I stated and asked at the same time.

"Yes, of course. Bye Alls." She said.

I closed my lap top and put it on my desk. I then proceeded to walk downstairs where my dad was impatiently waiting for me.

"Yes?" I asked as I saw him sitting in the living room.

"We need to talk." He said sternly.

"About what?" I asked obviously knowing where this was going.

"Well, I just wanted to say that I am really happy that you're alright and back home. I was really scared I wasn't going to see my daughter anymore." He said as he reached for a hug. I did not expect that. I thought he wanted to talk about Austin.

I wrapped my arms around him and let him continue to talk.

"I really didn't want to lose you. I live you too much baby girl." He said.

"I love you too, dad." I said.

"I was so scared I was losing you like I am right now." He said.

"What?" I asked confused and I pulled away from him. "Why would you be losing me?"

"Because of that boy." He said. Here we go. "I don't like him."

"I know, but it doesn't mean I don't like him either." I said.

"I know and that's what scares me. Love makes you do crazy things." He warned me.

"I know, dad." I said. "But you have to trust me on that one."

"I know. I trust you. It's him that I don't." He said.

"Dad, you do not trust anyone of the male species my age." I stated.

"I know. It's hard to think my daughter loves a man other than her father." He said. Ah. I so called it.

"Just because I love him, it doesn't mean I'll forget about you." I said to reassure him.

"I know. It's just hard to get used to it." He said.

"I know, dad. I promised I will always love you. No boy could ever replace you." I said.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you." I said.

"I love you too." I told him. "So, does it mean you're okay with my relationship with Austin?"

"Well, I don't have a choice, do I?" He asked.

"No. I guess you don't." I said laughing.

* * *

It was now the middle of the night and I couldn't sleep. I've been tossing and turning for the last three hours, but I was no use. I guess being home got me too excited.

I decided to get up. I put my winter jacket on, because it was still January and fucking cold outside and walked to Austin's place right after I delicately closed the door behind me.

I walked until I was near his balcony and threw a couple of snow balls on the doors. After about five snow balls. I saw the light being opened in his room and he opened the balcony's door.

He walked out the door confused and looked everywhere. It took a couple of seconds before he realized it was me.

"Hey minou." He said with a sleepy smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't sleep." I said.

"And you decided that I couldn't sleep either." He said sarcastically. "Sorry. I'm very sleepy."

"It's okay." I said.

"Do you want to come in?" He asked.

"I'm not here for nothing." I said.

I walked towards the back door and waited for Austin to open it. Once he did, we slipped to his bedroom.

We laid down of his bed. I rested my head on his chest and he put an arm around me. He held on tight.

"This is way more comfortable than the hospital bed." I said to Austin.

"It definitely is and we have more privacy." He said as he kissed my cheek.

"I talked to my dad about you." I said to Austin.

"He said he's okay with us." I said.

"He is?" Austin asked a bit surprised, but then a smile formed on his face. "I'm so happy."

"I am really happy too." I said to him.

We stayed silent for a couple of minutes. I was concentrating on his breathing and it was helping me reach sleep. It was just so relaxing. After a while, I decides to speak up.

"Remember when you said you wanted to kiss me good night?" I asked him.

"Yeah?" He said looking confused, but then catching on.

"Well, now's your chance." I said with a smirk.

He leaned in and his lips were hovering over mine. They were almost touching. He decided to tease me instead of giving in to my demand. He kissed my cheeks, my nose, my forehead, my eyes, my ears, my neck and then my lips.

His lips lingered for a couple of seconds and then he layed back in his initial pose.

"Good night Alls. I love you." He told me.

"I love you too." I said and then I closed my eyes. I was able to find sleep after all.

* * *

 **Hey ya'll. Wow, I cannot believe I'm one chapter close to thirty chapters. I intend to write about thirty-five chapters. Maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less. I don't know. There is one last piece of drama about Austin's family coming up, but after that, there won't be much drama. The last few chapters are going to be more about the establishment of their relationship and how they cope with everything. Anyway, I'm glad you guys love this story so far and it warms my heart, so much. I always say that I write for myself and not for the readers, but I think reading you guys' opinion and seeing how you like my story is a big plus. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I am sorry to keep you guys waiting; I'm pretty busy right now. I love you guys! Xoxox Peace out :)**


	30. Back to Reality, Sort of

**Chapter 30  
Back to Reality, Sort of…**

* * *

I've been staying at my house and doing practically nothing for the last couple of days. Austin stayed with me the second day I got home, but he couldn't stay every day after that. He needed to go back to school. Today is Friday, so that means he will be able to spend the week end with me. If my dad lets him, that is. He wasn't exactly thrilled when I told him I snuck out and spent the night at his place. I know my dad is making a huge effort and I really appreciate that, but it is going to take some time before he totally accepts my relationship with Austin.

 _I opened the front door to my house trying to not make any sound, but I failed because the door creaked._

 _"Where have you been?" My father asked sternly._

 _"Out." I answered._

 _"I know that, but where?" My dad asked._

 _"I slept at Austin's." I said sheepishly knowing it would not please him at all._

 _"What?" My dad asked looking mad._

 _"Don't worry, we didn't do anything. We just slept." I promised my dad._

 _"You snuck out to go at a boy's place?" He asked rhetorically._

 _"He's not just any boy, he's my boyfriend." I told him._

 _"I know, but it is going to take some time for me to get used to it." He said._

 _"I know, dad. I promised I won't do anything stupid." I told him._

 _"It's good to hear. I don't want you to sneak out again. I want you to tell me when you go sleep at his place. I was worried sick and especially since you only woke up from your coma a couple of days ago." My father told me._

 _"I promised I'll tell you from now on." I said._

 _"Good." He answered._

I had a conversation with my mom about this too, but it was a bit more embarrassing and straight forward. My mom is not ashamed to speak about sexuality with me and I think she enjoys seeing my flustered.

 _I was sitting on the couch in the living room reading Shattered Blue (1) and my dad was sitting on the other end of the couch reading the newspaper when my mom walked in with a bag from the drugstore and a couple of bags from the grocery._

 _"So." She said. "I heard about last night and I wanted to give you this."_

 _She opened the drugstore bag and threw me the box that was inside it. I caught it right before it fell on the ground and my dad was curiously looking at it. Once it wasn't upside down, I realized what it was and my eyes widened. I looked at my mom, who was smirking, and at my dad, who looked to be fuming with rage._

 _"I'm sure this is going to be useful." She said with her smirk plastered on her face._

 _"Condoms, really? She's still a child." My dad said angrily._

 _"Lester, she's not a child anymore. She's almost an adult and I'm sure they done it before. Anyone can see how much they love each other. That's not a bad thing, as long as they use these."_

 _"Couldn't you give me these in private?" I asked looking straight at my mother._

 _"No, I want your father to be aware that you are not a child anymore and that you and Austin are serious about your relationship." My mom said._

 _Everyone was quiet for a couple of seconds._

 _"Have you, have you ever done it?" Dad asked hesitantly immediately regretting his question._

 _My cheeks reddened even though nothing like that ever happened between me and Austin._

 _"No. We haven't." I said to my parents. My dad looked relieved and my mom looked at me suspiciously. We almost did it once and she caught us, but we didn't do anything. "Can we talk about something else now?"_

So, that was the most awkward conversation I've had with my parents in my entire life. I still have that box of condoms, because my mom absolutely wants me to keep it and I think it might come in useful eventually, who knows? It's sitting in the drawer right beside my bed.

I'm actually pretty bored since my parents are both at work and Austin is at school. I opened my television only to see my favorite scene from Once Upon a Time between Hook and Peter Pan.

 _I think it means she's finally starting to see me for the man I am._ Hook said.

 _What? A one-handed pirate with a drinking problem? I'm no grown up, but I'm pretty sure that's less than appealing._ Peter Pan responded.

 _A man of honor._ Hook said.

 _So tell me, what would a man of honor would do with a big fat secret?_ Peter Pan asked. **(2)**

I love those two characters; they are both so hot and dreamy. Yes, I can think that even though I am in a relationship with the hottest boy ever.

That TV show always reminds me of Austin and all the conversation we've had about true love and stuff like that and how he said he hated Snow White and Prince Charming.

Anyway, I just needed to occupy myself until Austin made it back from school. My parents don't want me to leave the house. They know I'm getting better, but they want to prevent anything that could happen to me. Anyway, it's almost February now and it's freezing in Québec. The temperature is about -20 degrees Celsius, so I do not intend to go outside. I'd rather be inside cuddling with a blanket in front of the TV.

I decided to binge-watch Once Upon a Time until I heard the doorbell. I opened the door and it revealed Austin.

"Hey there, minou." Austin said with his signature smile that makes me melt.

"Well, hello." I said as he still stood in the doorway. "Please enter the house, it's fucking cold outside."

"You, cussing?" Austin repeated to tease me.

"Come on, I'm from Miami, I'm not used to this weather." I defended.

"Fair enough." He said as I noticed he was holding a grocery bag.

"What's that?" I asked him.

"Well, you told me your parents were working late today, so I decided to make you supper." He responded proudly.

"You didn't have to do this." I said immediately.

"Actually, we'll do this together." He said as we walked to the kitchen.

"What?" I asked a bit confused.

"We are going to make our own pizza." He said as he took all of the ingredients out of the bag. "Also, I bought a jar of pickles since you seem to love that."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." I said as I hugged him and kissed his cheek.

Austin and I unwrapped everything and displayed everything on the counter after washing our hands. He bought a lot of things: the dough, the tomato sauce, green and red peppers, tomatoes, olives, bacon, peperoni, onions, mozzarella, mushrooms and even more stuff.

"That's never going to fit on the pizza." I stated as I looked at the round pizza dough displayed in front of us.

"Then I guess we'll have to make some more another day." He suggested with a smile.

I took the jar of pizza sauce, opened it and got a spoon from a drawer to put it on the dough. As I turned around with the spoon and wanted to spread the sauce on the pizza dough, Austin dipped his finger in it and booped my nose with it.

"You'll regret this, Moon." I said loudly.

"You don't scare me." He stated teasing. I put his tongue out to tease, but I took his distraction as the perfect opportunity to put tomato sauce in his face too, so I did.

We ended up running around the house and he caught me easily. Once he did, he leaned to kiss me, well, I thought so. He licked my nose.

"The tomato sauce is actually pretty good." He said laughing.

"You just love to tease me." I said.

"I do." He responded.

After that, I looked into his eyes, he looked into mines, and we ended making out in the middle of the kitchen. He eventually pulled away to attack my neck with his wonderful lips. He pushed me until my back was against the wall and kissed harder.

"Austin." I moaned silently. After a couple of minutes, I put my hands on his chest and pushed him lightly.

"What?" He asked disappointed.

"If we want to eat, we need to make the pizza." I said.

"True." He said.

We finally baked the pizza and ate it. It was very delicious and it wasn't just because Austin and I fed it to each other. It was actually very sweet.

"What's for dessert?" I asked to tease him knowing I didn't see any desert in the bag.

"Actually, since I knew you hated the cold weather, I decided to make you my famous hot cocoa." He said with pride.

"That's not a dessert." I said to tease him.

"When you'll see it, you'll agree it's a dessert." He said with a smirk. "Oh, I know you guys have a fireplace, so I thought it would be nice to start a small fire."

"Why not, it's the perfect weather for it." I said.

Austin then lit the fire and brought all sorts of pillows, cushions and blankets near it. He told me to make myself comfortable and that he'll come back with the hot chocolates, so I did.

I've actually never experienced this before, I mean sitting in front of a fire place when snow is falling outside. There's something romantic about it.

Once Austin came back, I understood why this was our dessert. There wasn't only hot cocoa in the mug. There was a marshmallow, a pile of whipped cream, a cinnamon stick and cocoa was sprinkled on top of everything.

"This looks absolutely delicious." I told Austin as he handed me the mug. He sat down right beside me and looked at the fire as he sipped the hot drink.

I stared at the fire too and we stayed quiet for a couple of minutes.

"I'm so lucky to have you." He told me out of the blue.

"And I am lucky to have you." I said and then we shared a sweet kiss.

He stared into the fire again, but this time there was something in his eyes I couldn't decipher.

"Austin, what's wrong?" I asked him.

He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.

"I know that look. Something is bothering you." I said.

"The counselor went in my last class today to speak." He started to say, but he stopped himself.

"Speak about what?" I asked.

"How to apply to college. We have to do it before March 1st." He responded.

"Oh." Was all I said. I was so caught up in everything that I completely forgot about that. If I was still living in Miami, I would be a junior and I wouldn't have to think about college until next year, but since I'm not living there, I have to do that now.

"I don't know what to do, Ally." He said honestly.

"I don't either, but isn't there anything you'd like to do?" I asked him.

"I don't know, I've always been so caught up in everything that happened to me that I never thought about my future." He said.

"I can understand that." I said.

"What about you, you're a fantastic student, isn't there anything you're good that you could study?" He asked me and I thought for a couple of seconds while sipping on my hot cocoa.

"The only thing I'm good at is school." I said honestly.

"That's not true, you're an incredible songwriter." Austin stated and I blushed slightly.

"I'm not going to study music; there aren't lots of opportunities once you're done." I said.

"How about teaching?" Austin asked. "You love school and you're good at it. I'm sure you'd be an excellent teacher."

"You think so?" I asked him.

"Have you thought about this before?" Austin asked me as he put and arm around my shoulder.

"When I was a kid, I wanted to become a teacher, but now, I don't know." I said. "How about you, what did you want to become when you were a kid."

"A professional soccer player." He said laughing.

"Isn't there any jobs that inspire you?" I asked him after taking another sip of my hot drink made by my hot boyfriend.

"I don't know. I guess I always looked up to Mimi for being a social worker. She literally saved my life and I think that's honorable." He answered with hesitation. "But that's just stupid."

"No, Austin, it's not. I think that would be a great idea." Ally said.

"I don't think I'm qualified to become a social worker. I'm the one who needs help, not the other way around." He said and I just gave him a look.

"Austin, if you work for it, you can achieve anything. I've always believed in that." I said to encourage him.

"I'll think about it." He said. "And you think about becoming a teacher."

"Deal." I responded and I leaned on his shoulder.

"I love you." I whispered in his ear.

"I love you more." He said as he tightened his grip around me.

What Austin told me was still echoing in my mind. I need to think about what I am going to study and I have a month to do that. We were now sitting on the couch and watching Pirates of the Caribbean. **(3)** My parents got home about an hour into the movie.

"Good evening, Sweetheart." My dad greeted me.

"Hey Ally, hey Austin." My mom chanted happily.

"What's got you so happy?" I asked her.

"I've got great news." She said with a wide smile.

"Spill." I demanded.

"The hospital called me today." She said.

"Go on." I said.

"They told me that all of your test results are normal and that your capacities are back to normal." She said happily while my ad just watched her.

"That's fantastic." I said.

"You'll be able to go back to school on Monday." Mom said.

"Great." I responded and I hugged her.

"That's great news, Alls." Austin said and I hugged him.

"I know." I said.

Now, all I have to worry about is my future.

* * *

 **I'm so so so so so so so sorry I haven't updated in more than a month. I've been pretty busy and went on a vacation. I also had the writer's block for this story, so that's why I wrote for another fandom for which I actually had inspiration. Anyway, I planned the rest of the story and there are two chapters and an epilogue left. Thank you all so much for the kind words, for favoriting and following. I really really appreciate that. You are all awesome! Peace out :)**

 **(1) I do not own this.**

 **(2) I do not own this.**

 **(3) I do not own this.**


	31. Secrets Unveiled

**Chapter 31  
Secrets Unveiled**

The last couple of weeks had passed by in a blur. Everything happened so fast: Austin and I finally getting together, going back to school after my injury, talking about college. Austin and I were actually going to make our applications tonight even if we had a lot on our minds.

The last two days started as regular school days, but they weren't. We never ever expected to discover this secret and last night was very special to Austin and I. Just when we thought it was over, it hits us in the face again. The secret is not something that could destroy us, especially Austin, but it had still shaken us up, especially Austin. It all started on Thursday morning when Lea joined us for a normal discussion in the cafeteria. So, let's start from the beginning.

 _"_ _Please, Ally. I really want to go shopping this weekend." Trish asked me, her best friend._

 _"_ _You know I hate shopping." I answered and it was true. I only went when I absolutely had to._

 _"_ _I know, but there is this huge sale at my favorite and I am sure you would enjoy it too." Trish responded trying to make a point. "Spring is coming and I am sure you need clothes for the hot weather."_

 _"_ _Trish, I'm from Miami. My entire wardrobe is made out of summer clothes." I said to her._

 _"_ _I'd love to go shopping with you instead." Dez said enthusiastically to the Latina girl._

 _"_ _Me? Shopping with you?" Trish asked. "Are you delusional?"_

 _"_ _What's wrong with Dez?" Austin asked._

 _"_ _He's weird and he's a doof. He's not the best to shop with. Trust me, I've tried before." Trish answered Austin._

 _"_ _He can't be that bad. He's a nice dude to be around." Austin said._

 _"_ _Thank you, buddy." Dez answered as he put his hand on Austin's shoulder in gratitude._

 _"_ _Last time I went shopping with him, we got thrown out of the mall, because he released the animals in the mini farm for the children to watch." Trish explained._

 _"_ _Why?" I asked Dez confused and disappointed._

 _"_ _They looked so sad in their cage. I wanted them to run free." Dez explained._

 _"_ _In the middle of a mall. What a great idea." Trish said sarcastically._

 _"_ _Hey. guys." Lea said to us as she sat down beside Austin who had a hand on my tigh._

 _"_ _Hey." I answered. "How are you?"_

 _"_ _I am fantastic." She said with a wide smile._

 _"_ _Spill." Trish demanded. "You can't be this happy without a reason."_

 _"_ _Well, Elliot asked me out." She squeaked._

 _"_ _That's great." I answered enthusiastically. "I knew you guys were perfect for each other."_

 _"_ _Aw, thanks Ally." Lea answered._

 _"_ _So, Austin, I was actually curious about something." Lea said facing him. I felt him tense._

 _"_ _Go ahead." He said genuinely._

 _"_ _What was in the letter?" She asked._

 _"_ _What letter?" Austin asked clearly confused. He had no clue about what she was talking about._

 _"_ _You know the one from your dad." Lea whispered._

 _"_ _Mike never sent me any letters." Austin responded to Cassidy's cousin._

 _"_ _I'm not talking about that dad." Lea said and Austin paled._

 _"_ _You mean from…" Austin could not finish his sentence._

 _"_ _Yes." Lea answered. Everyone seemed to catch on except for Dez._

 _"_ _I never got any letters from him after what he did." Austin said to his ex-half-sister._

 _"_ _Not exactly." Lea said and Austin's grip on my leg tighten._

 _"_ _Care to enlighten me, because I don't know what you're talking about." Austin answered honestly._

 _"_ _When your dad was waiting for his process and before he ended his life, he wrote you a letter. It arrived at our house, but my mother never gave it to you, because she was scared of what might have been inside." Lea started to explain and Austin leaned towards her to listen more carefully. "When Mimi and Mike adopted you, my mother gave it to them. She knew they would give it to you when you were ready to read it."_

 _"_ _Have you seen what's inside it?" Austin asked._

 _"_ _No, I haven't. Neither do my parents." Lea answered. "I thought Mimi would have given it to you by now."_

 _"_ _Knowing Mimi, she would only have given it to me if I was ready. I haven't really showed that ever since what he did." Austin said disappointed in himself._

 _"_ _What do you mean?" Lea asked._

 _"_ _Changing families did not change my attitude nor my actions, Lea." Austin admitted._

 _"_ _Oh." She answered._

 _"_ _Ally was the one who helped me open up again. Mimi had also been a great help, but I realized what I was doing was wrong when Ally kept scolding me for it." Austin explained and I chuckled._

 _"_ _Well, I am a determined person and I knew there was someone sweet and nice behind that awful mask you gave yourself." I admitted to Austin._

 _"_ _And I have never been so grateful for anything in my entire life, except maybe for Mimi and Mike taking me in of course." Austin said with the genuine smile that made me melt._

 _"_ _Ew, stop it already." Trish said disgusted._

 _"_ _You'll understand when you'll be in love, Trish." I said to tease her and Austin chuckled._

So, that was how we discovered something was up and that we needed to get at the bottom of it. We knew it might have been actually nothing. At that moment, we thought the letter might only have been excuses from his father or something, but it turned out so much more than we anticipated. I don't think Austin had ever seen it coming. It's not something that crushes you and he was actually glad about what we discovered. That's why he went to Mimi right after school ended.

 _"_ _Are you okay?" I asked the blond beside me as we walked towards his car._

 _"_ _For the hundredth time, Ally, I am fine." Austin answered. "You ask that question way too often."_

 _"_ _I just want to make sure you are alright." I said._

 _"_ _I know and I appreciate that you care, but I'm telling you, I am completely fine. There is nothing to worry about for now."_

 _"_ _For now?" I repeated._

 _"_ _Ally, we don't know what's in that letter and if it even exists. Let's not worry about it." He reassured me._

 _"_ _Alright. Do you want me to come with you?" I asked him genuinely._

 _"_ _No. I want to do this alone." He answered._

 _"_ _It's okay. I understand." I answered my boyfriend._

 _Anyway, we chatted about this and that in the car and we parted ways as we arrived at our houses. I think I was more anxious than Austin about that stupid letter. I asked him to tell me everything once he talked to Mimi and here is what he told me happened._

 _Austin walked in the kitchen only to find Mimi sitting and making herself an herbal tea._

 _"_ _Good afternoon, Austin." Mimi greeted him._

 _"_ _Hey, mom." He answered. "Listen, there is something I need to ask you."_

 _"_ _Are you okay? You sound nervous." Mimi stated._

 _"_ _Yeah, I'm fine." Austin answered. "Do you remember Lea?"_

 _"_ _The daughter of your second foster family?" Mimi asked and Austin nodded. "Yeah, I remember her."_

 _"_ _Well, she told me something very interesting today." Austin said._

 _"_ _And what's that, dear?" Mimi asked._

 _"_ _She said that my biological father wrote me a letter after it happened and that her parents gave it to you to give to me eventually. Is that true?" Austin asked his mother._

 _She paled a bit._

 _"_ _It is true." Mimi answered._

 _"_ _Can I- Can I have it?" Austin asked shyly._

 _"_ _Sure." Mimi said._

 _"_ _Have you read it before?" Austin asked his mother._

 _"_ _Indeed, I have. I had to make sure it was safe for you to read." Mimi answered her son._

 _"_ _What's it about?" Austin asked curiously._

 _"_ _I want you to read it for yourself." Mimi said as she walked to her room and came back with an envelope in her hand. "Here, read it."_

 _Austin opened the envelope and unfolded the paper._

 ** _Dear Austin,_**

 ** _I don't even know if you're ever going to get this, but I really wish you would. I know I've done some terrible and unforgivable things and I don't ever expect you to forgive me. You knew I was depressed. Everyone did. What not everyone knew was that I drank a lot and ended smoking lots of different drugs. The thing is, to get drugs, you needed money._**

 _Austin laughed to himself. He knew that to well._

 ** _Anyway, I ended up owing a lot of money to my supplier, but I did not have money anymore and your mother changed the NIP to our account so I could not use that money. She was brilliant woman. She was saving that money so you and your sister could go to university and could have a nice life. Anyway, since I needed money and could not pay my supplier, he threatened to kill me. I begged him to give me more time, so we made a deal. If I did not have the money after a week, he would kill me unless I killed my family. I was under the effect of drugs and alcohol so I gave in. After a week, I did not have the money, so I obliged to his demand, he gave me the guns and told me what to do. That was the worst thing I have ever done. When I woke up in jail the next morning, I remembered what I had done and regretted every single part of it. I could not live with myself, so that's when I decided that my time on Earth was over too. I planned everything and I am sure I'll be able to escape jail._**

 ** _Before I say goodbye to this world and to you, I want you to know something. You and Amelie were not the only children your mother had._**

 _Austin blinked a few times and stared at the words in front of him._

 ** _When she was still a teenager, fifteen to be exact, your mother was deeply in love with some guy. She ended up getting pregnant. She could not afford to keep the baby and did not want to abort it either. She decided to have the baby and then to give her for adoption. Her name is Olivia. It was a closed adoption, so your mother never heard from her again, but I was able to find her and you mother kind of spied on her with social medias. She knew it was her. Her name is Olivia Latulippe. Right now, she lives in Sherbrooke, Quebec._**

 ** _I'm telling you this, because I want you to know that you still have family. I know you don't know her and that she does not know you, but you have a biological sister, only not from the same father. Your mother did not want you guys to know about the mistakes she had done as a teenager, so that's why she never told you._**

 ** _Find her._**

 ** _-Your father_**

 _Austin blinked a few times again to retain tears from falling. That was a lot of information to take in. A half-sister? How come he never knew about that. Was he playing him? That's how Austin told me he felt._

So, that leads us to now. Austin was sitting on the couch of my living room and we were both staring at the letter.

I still can't believe it is true and neither can Austin.

"You are sure this is true?" I asked Austin.

"Positive." Austin answered me. "Mimi told me that she looked for the girl and that she actually found her. She now lives in Trois-Rivieres, which is like an hour and a half from here."

"Wow." I said. "Why would your mother keep that from you guys?"

"Maybe she was embarrassed." Austin suggested.

"Yeah, maybe." I answered.

"Can you imagine what it would be like if you were pregnant at fifteen?" Austin asked.

"Awful, that's for sure." Ally answered. "So, when do we start?"

"Start what?" Austin asked with a confused look.

"Looking for your newly found half-sister." Ally said.

"Tomorrow." Austin said.

"Why not tonight?" Ally asked.

"Because, tonight, your parents are gone on a convention and my parents are gone to see my mother's sister in Levis. Which means we are alone." Austin said suggestively.

I just smirked at his comment.

"I thought we could enjoy some quiet alone time together." Austin said and my smile grew wider.

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked him.

"Well, I thought we could watch a movie or something." Austin said and I was almost disappointed at his comment.

"Sure." I responded.

We decided to watch Now You See Me **(1)** , because I loved that movie and he had not seen it. We were snuggling on the couch and enjoyed the show that was given to us by the TV.

At some point during the movie, I can't even remember how it happen, but I was straddling Austin and we were having a hot make out session on the couch.

Austin silently moaned as I trailed kissed form his neck to his beautiful and plump pink lips. When our lips joined, I could not even describe how I was feeling. That boy is going to be the death of me. I could just melt and die right here and I would be completely happy and content.

Eventually, I don't know how it happened either, but Austin flipped us and I was lying under his muscular body.

He smirked right before he attacked my neck with his beautiful and talented lips. He trailed kisses on various spots on my neck and I was literally melting.

"Austin." I moaned silently. I felt him smile through his kisses.

"Why don't we head to your room?" He whispered huskily in my ear and I shivered.

I nodded as a response and we walked to my room without even disconnecting our lips. It was like we were both mesmerized by each other and I was not complaining.

When we got to my room, Austin pushed me, without disconnecting our lips, until I fell on my bed and we were only guided with lust.

Of course, after we started dating, we had kissed a lot, but none of those kisses were like the first one we shared right here in my room. That one was filled with lust and sexual desire, like the one we are sharing right now.

I finally flipped us around, so I would straddle him and kissed him like there was no tomorrow.

"Ally." He moaned.

He tugged on the hem of my shirt, so I pulled away and let him take it off me. He looked at me appreciatively.

"Come on, Moon, it's not the first time you see me in a bra." I said to tease him as I went to take his shirt of too. I stared at his toned stomach. It was perfectly sculpted without being too much.

"Come on, Dawson, it's not the first time you see me without a shirt." He mimicked me.

I kissed him to shut him up. When we pulled apart, his eyes were darker than usual and I knew exactly what he was thinking about. I got up and walked to my drawers. He got up immediately after I did and put his arms around my waist as he kissed my neck. He probably missed the intimacy we were sharing. I took the box that created the huge conflict between my parents and showed it to Austin. His eyes widened for a second probably wondering how I had these and then he smiled.

"You sure?" He asked. I love how much he cares about my feeling too. I love him so much.

"100% percent sure." I said. I was not lying. I really wanted this.

I wasn't long until we were both under the covers of my bed and sharing the most intimate moment we had ever shared.

When I woke up the next morning, Austin was sleeping right beside me and his arm was keeping me close to him. Last night felt fantastic. I loved that Austin and I could share something like that. It was pure bliss.

I stirred a little out of discomfort and realized I was still naked and so was he.

"Good morning, beautiful." Austin said to me as he opened his eyes.

"Morning, handsome." I responded.

I untied myself from his grip and put my undergarments and pajamas back on.

He looked at me and pouted.

"I was comfortable with you here." Austin whined.

"And I need to go to the bathroom." I said. I walked to him and kissed him lightly before heading to the bathroom.

When I got back to my room, he had put clothes on and he was waiting for me.

"I'm starving." He said as I walked in.

"Me too." I answered. "How about I make some pancakes."

His eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.

"I'd love some pancakes." He said with a huge smile.

This time, we were mature enough to cook without having a food fight. It doesn't mean we weren't distracted though.

I started to cook the pancakes when his arms snaked their way around my waist and his lips found my neck.

"Last night was incredible." He whispered in my ear.

"It certainly was." I said as I turned around to face him completely forgetting the pancake in the pan.

We shared a passionate kiss until we heard the fire alarm. I turned around immediately to take the pancakes out of the pan. Austin walked to the fire alarm and turned it off.

"You made me ruin a pancake." I accused him.

"You are the one that was acting too sexy for me to resist." He accused me.

"I am wearing one of your old shirts and pajama pants. What's sexy about that?" I asked.

"You were cooking pancakes, for me. That is super sexy." He explained and I laughed.

"I love you." I said to him as I looked into his eyes.

"I love you too." He said as genuinely as me.

"Now, we should really eat breakfast if we want to find your mysterious half-sister." I said to him.

"I guess we should." He said.

"Let the games being." I said laughing.

"May the odds be ever in our favor." He said laughing.

"I think we watched The Hunger Games **(2)** too much." I said.

"Probably." He said. "Or maybe I was just mimicking you."

"What?" I asked confused.

"You know, that dinner at your place when you decided you wanted revenge." He reminded me.

"Oh yeah." I said. "That was a really fun night."

"It was really pleasant for my eyes." He said. That's when he first saw me only in a bra and panties.

"Seriously, we should really get ready." I said.

"I know." He answered. "Lets' go on an adventure to find Olivia."

"Let's do this." I said after him.

 **Two months. Two entire months. I am so sorry I have not update since June 26** **th** **. I meant to, but I could never find inspiration. I had the writer's block, so that's why I wrote for another fandom. I realized that I did not have inspiration, because I had not read A &A fanfiction in a long time. I read some last night and I got a few ideas. I'll do my best to publish the remaining chapters to this story (2 or 3) during the next two weeks. I hope you forgive me and that you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **(1) I do not own this**

 **(2) I do not own this either**


	32. Overwhelmed

**Chapter 32  
Overwhelmed**

* * *

 **Austin's POV**

After the revelation of last night, I can't help, but be overwhelmed by what I found out. It feels so surreal. I don't understand how my mother could never have mentioned that I was not her first child. I understand the conditions she was living in and how she might have been embarrassed by her situation, but I don't know why she kept that from all of us. Well, from me and my sister, because my father obviously knew about that.

I was actually feeling excited and afraid at the same time. I don't know anything about Olivia and I'm pretty sure she does not know I even exist. My dad said my mother send her in a foster home, so who knows what kind of life she has. She can be a model, or a plumber, or a teacher, or a singer. I don't know.

When I first read the letter Lea told me about, I was too overwhelmed to say anything. Too many things where spinning in my mind at that moment. I never really talked to Mimi about it after, I went straight to Ally's house to talk to her about it.

Mimi said that she had read the letter before, so she's aware of Olivia. I wonder if she knows about her location, or he life in general.

Ally and I just exited her house and we were heading to mine. We had to wait for my parents to come back from Levis to ask them questions, so we still had time to talk and do whatever we wanted.

We entered my house and we sat in the living room.

"What are you thinking?" Ally asked me. She cares so much about me and I love her for that.

"Well, I was actually thinking about how you had that box in your room." I answered to tease her even though I was genuinely curious about this.

"It's a funny story, actually." Ally answered knowing what I was referring too.

"I'm listening." I said.

"A short while after my mother caught us making out in my room, she arrived from the drugstore and gave the box to me right in front of my father. She said she believed we needed this and that she thought it would not have been the first time we made love. My father was furious, but my mother calmed him down eventually." Ally explained to me as I laughed slightly.

Ally is a bit prude, so this situation must have embarrassed her so much. I can also tell by the color of her cheeks right now.

"You must've been so embarrassed." I said trying to hide my laugh.

"Not as much as the time when-" Ally started to say, but she stopped herself. She caught my attention.

I raised an eyebrow indicating I was interested in listening to that story that seemed to have embarrassed her a lot.

"You're not going to like this." Ally warned me with a serious look on her face.

She got me a bit anxious.

"Come on. You can tell me anything." I assured her. "It can't be that bad."

"Alright, so, three years ago, when I was fourteen, I met this guy back in Miami. His name was James." She started to explain, but she fidgeted at the same time. "He was sixteen. He walked up to me one day and we just talked. We became friends almost immediately. I really liked him. After a couple of weeks, we decided to date."

"I thought you said you've never had a boyfriend." I stated reminding her of her own words. "That no boys were interested in you before me."

"That statement is still true." Ally said with sadness all over her beautiful face.

"But-" I tried to say, but she cut me off.

"He was not interested in me. He played me." Ally said. "I really thought he liked me. It looked like he did, but it was all a trick."

"I'm so sorry, Ally." I said as I squeezed her hand.

"It turned out his friends dared him to get the shyest and nerdiest to sleep with him and it turned out that was me. I was blinded by love and he won his bet." Ally admitted as I could see she was still hurting, but my eyes widened as she revealed someone took advantage of her. I clenched my fists instinctively.

"His mom walked on us doing it and I was so embarrassed I just took my things and left. The next day at school he completely ignored me. I never heard from him ever again." She said.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry Ally. He was so stupid. He lost the most beautiful and amazing girl ever." I said to lighten up the mood, but meaning every word I said.

"Thank you, Austin." She said as she pulled me in and wrapped her small arms around my torso.

"After that, I swore I would never let boys play me. Piper and I swore to never talk about this again and to forget this ever happened to me." Ally said still in my embrace. "I got over it, but it hurts to think my first time was not with someone that truly loves me and that I truly loved."

"Well, at least now you have someone that truly loves you." I genuinely told her and her smile grew wide.

"What about you?" She asked bluntly.

"What?" I asked confused.

"How was your first time?" She asked me and I laughed internally.

"It was the most amazing feeling ever." I told her. "It was a night I will always remember."

She looked at me with an emotion I could not describe, but I think it was something like hurt.

"It happened last night." I told her with a serious look. She looked confused for a split second and then she smiled.

"I-I was your first?" She asked.

"Indeed." I admitted. "And I am really truly happy I waited to be with someone I truly love."

She squeezed my torso harder.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you, too." I answered.

She stayed in my embrace for a little while and she pulled away suddenly and almost nervously.

"Austin." She said. I loved hearing her say my name. "We forgot to do something last night."

I raised an eyebrow. "We used protection. What did we forget?"

"College applications." She said and my eyes widened.

"Shit."

* * *

"And, send." Ally said as she smiled at the computer in front of her. We did it, we applied for college.

"I can't believe we finally did this." I said to her with a warm smile.

"I can't believe we finally did this too." Ally said. "This is our future."

"What is your future?" Mimi asked as entered the house and raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"We just applied for college." Ally answered happily and I twitched.

Mimi and I had had lots of discussions about college in the last year, but they never ended happily, considering I did not know what to do, but Ally convinced me.

"You did?" My mother asked with a huge smile creeping its way on her face.

"We did." I answered.

"We, as in Ally and you?" Mimi asked again just to make sure she heard right. I'm sure she can't believe I finally did this.

"Yes." I answered.

"This is wonderful!" She exclaimed. "Mike, come here."

I saw my father walk into the room with and interrogation mark on his face.

"What's up?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Our son just applied for college!" My mother told him excitedly.

"Really?" He asked all of us.

"Yes, really." I answered.

"In what program did you apply?" My father asked me curiously.

"Well, I had a couple of talks with Ally about this and I told her how I thought your job was honorable and that I want to help people so they don't end up like I did. That's why I'll study how to become a social worker." I admitted to my parents and both of their faces lit up. "I applied for a technical program in a college in both Quebec and Montreal."

The look on my parents' face was priceless. It was like Christmas came early. I know they never expected me to continue my studies, yet alone study what they are doing, but I could see how happy and proud they were and honestly, it feels damn good to have my parents look at me like that instead of a troubled boy refusing to do anything with his damn life.

"How about you, dear?" Mimi asked turning to Ally.

"Well, I have always loved school and I've always been good at it. That is why I decided to study early childhood development, which is a technical program, and then go to university to become an elementary school teacher." Ally explained happily.

"That is wonderful news!" Mimi exclaimed. "I'm so happy for both of you and I am so proud of you, Austin."

"Thanks." Ally and I said in unison.

"And Ally, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for Austin. You saved him, literally, and I could never be thankful enough." Mimi said to Ally.

"I could never be so grateful, either. Mom's right. You saved me." I said to Ally as she blushed like she's always done.

I love it when she's flustered. It makes me love her even more.

"So, since we were waiting for you guys, we have a couple of questions for you." I said on a more serious tone. I needed to ask them about Olivia.

"About Olivia?" My mother guessed.

"Yes." I answered.

"What do you know about her?" I asked expectantly.

"Not that much. I know she lives in Trois-Rivieres." Mimi answered.

"You've already told me that. Do you know anything else?" I asked.

"Well, she is twenty-eight years old. She has a husband and that's it I think." Mimi responded.

"And this is really true?" I asked just to make sure.

"Yes. It is." Mimi said.

"My biological dad said it was a closed adoption, so she doesn't know about my biological mother at all?" I asked and Ally just listened to everything without saying a word.

"No. She does not know about her biological parents." Mike told me.

"Well, I can't show up on her door telling her all of this, can I?" I asked rhetorically.

"Why not?" Mimi asked.

"Because she's not gonna talk to me. Would you talk to stranger knocking on your door claiming he was your brother?" I asked.

"Not exactly, but she had tried to find her real mother her entire life, so maybe she would believe you." Mimi suggested.

"So, you are telling me to go find her?" I asked carefully.

"Yes. I have her address." Mimi said.

"How, have you been spying on her?" I asked my mom.

"No, I am a social worker and her files happened to be where I work." Mimi said.

She then walked to one of the drawers in the living room and took a paper out of it. She unfolded it and read it carefully. After that, she walked up to me and gave me the paper.

"That's her address." Mimi said.

I turned to Ally. "Well, turns out we're going to Trois-Rivieres today."

"Yes, we are." Ally said with a warm smile.

* * *

Ally and I have been in my car for about an hour and a half and we had just entered Trois-Rivieres. I am super nervous right now. What if she's not living there anymore. What if she is not there? What if she refuses to talk to me? So many things can happen and I don't think I am ready for any of them. I mean, I'll be extremely disappointed if I don't find her, but I'll also be extremely nervous and awkward if I do find her and I do talk to her.

We entered the neighborhood she was supposedly living in and I parked my car on the side of the street.

"Why did you stop?" Ally asked.

"I don't want to just park in front of their house like everything was planned." I said.

"But it was planned." Ally retorted and I laughed.

"Let's just go." I said as I locked my car. "She's supposedly living three house from here.

We walked about a hundred meters and then we arrived at our destination. My sister's house. I walked nervously to the front door. Ally must have felt my nervousness, because she took my hand and squeezed it to reassure me.

We were now both staring at the door.

"You can do this, Austin." She whispered to sooth me.

Alright, I took my courage in my hands and knocked on the door.

A brunette man opened the door. He was really tall and he was also very toned. I was actually a bit afraid.

"Bonjour." _(Good day)_ He greeted me.

"Bonjour, est-ce qu'Olivia est là?" _(Good day, is Olivia here?)_ I asked sheepishly.

"Oui, je vais la chercher." (Yes, I'll go get her) The boy answered.

"I can't believe this is happening." I whispered to Ally.

A couple of seconds later, a blond woman walked up to the door to greet me. What I did not expect was the four-year-old little girl in her arms.

"Bonjour." (Good day.) She greeted me.

"Bonjour, je m'appelle Austin." (Hi, my name is Austin.) I told her.

"Que puis-je faire pour toi, Austin?" (What can I do for you, Austin?) She asked me.

"C'est une histoire très compliquée." (It's a really complicated story.) I admitted. "Je sais que je suis un étranger, mais j'ai beaucoup de choses à te dire." (I know I am a stranger to you, but I have a lot of stuff to tell you.)

"Tu es le fils de Mimi, n'est-ce pas?" (You are Mimi's son, right?) She asked me. I looked over at Ally, who seemed to be clueless about this, with a nervous glance.

"Oui, comment le sais-tu?" (Yes, how do you know?) I asked the girl who happens to be my sister.

"She knows I'm Mimi's son." I whispered to Ally. I think Olivia understand Ally couldn't speak French and she switched to English.

"Ah, where are my manners. I'm Olivia and it's very nice to meet you both." She said. "Who are you?" She asked looking at Ally.

"I'm Ally. I'm Austin's girlfriend." She answered.

"Well, it's nice to meet you both." She said.

"Why don't we go sit inside and talk." She suggested to the both of us and I smiled.

"I'd like that." I said.

She invited us in and we walked to the living room to sit on the couch. She still had the little girl in her arms.

We sat down and I had no idea where to start.

"Mommy, he looks like you." The little girl said and my eyes widened. Ally snickered.

"As a matter of fact. I do see some resemblance." The man, who probably is her husband, said. "I'm Sebastian." He told us.

"That is actually why Ally and I are here." I admitted to the small family.

They both looked at us confused.

"I have no idea where to start." I said looking at Ally.

"Try the simple explanation." Ally suggested.

"Well, I found out yesterday that my biological mother had another child before me that I never knew about." I started to explain. "She was fifteen when she got pregnant for the first time. She could not keep the baby so she gave it for adoption, but she never told me."

I saw something flash through Olivia's eyes and I'm not sure what it is.

"I-I was adopted." She told me. "When I was born."

"If the information I got are correct, you'd be my sister." I admitted bluntly. Well, that did not take much time to say.

"I'm sorry?" She asked clearly confused.

"Do you remember what your biological mother's name is?" I asked her.

"That's the only thing I know about her." She responded.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"Caroline Grenier." She responded.

"Same as my biological mother." I answered her.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I told you, I'm your brother." I said again.

"I don't believe you." She said.

"Come on, sweetie. You two are exactly alike. You have the same blond hair and the same hazelnut eyes." Sebastien told her.

"That does not prove anything." She said and I was a bit hurt that she did not believe me.

"That's why I brought my birth certificate with me." I said as I took it out of Ally's bag and showed her.

"So, our mothers have the same name." She said. "That can happen."

"According to the information I got, you were born in St-Joseph's hospital in Quebec City on March 18th 1988 to Caroline Grenier and Mathieu Couture." I told her. Those were other information my mother gave me.

"That is true." She said.

"That still does not prove a thing." She said.

I took a picture of my biological mother, my younger sister and me out of Ally's bag and showed it to her.

"That is my biological mother." I said. Her eyes widened.

She walked to another room and came back with another picture in her hand. She took the picture out of my hand and compared the two she now had in hers.

"That's impossible. They are identical." She stated shocked. "You are telling the truth."

"I am." I answered as I smiled at her and then at Ally who smiled back.

"Wow." She said.

"So, can I meet her? I have always wanted to meet her. Where is she?" She asked with hope all over her face.

I looked at Ally and I knew she knew exactly how I was feeling.

"You can't." I said simply.

"Why?" She asked me and I glanced at Ally.

"She's gone." I answered trying to keep tears from forming into my eyes.

"As in…" She started to say, but I did not let her finish her sentence.

"Yes. It happened about five years ago." I said and Ally squeezed my hand.

"And the little girl, she's your -our- little sister?" She stated and asked at the same time. "Can I meet her?"

"No, you can't." I answered still hurting from what my father had done. "She's gone too. That is why I am adopted too."

"Wh-What happened?" Olivia asked me suddenly realizing something bad happened to my -our- family.

"The details aren't that important and I honestly don't want to tell that awful story again, but long story short, my biological dad was depressed, did drugs and alcohol and made some bad decisions. It ended up in him killing both our mother and sister. He ended his life right after." I explained and a tear escaped my eyes. Damn feelings.

"I am so sorry." She told me as she put a hand on my legs reassuringly.

"It's okay, I've started to move on. Thanks to my wonderful girlfriend and to Mike and Mimi." I told her.

"That is good to hear." She told me.

"Why you crying?" The little girl asked me.

"Because I am sad." I told her.

"When I sad, me hug Mummy and feel better." She told me.

"That is actually not a bad idea." Olivia said as she hugged me. I stiffened at first, but I hugged her back.

"Welcome to the family, Uncle Austin." She told me as I looked at the little girl.

"What's your name, princess?" I asked my sister's daughter. I'm not quite sure I could call her my nice for now.

"Amelia." She responded proudly.

"It's nice to meet you, Amelia." I told the little girl who was smiling.

"You wanna know something crazy?" I asked Olivia.

"My little sister's name was Amélie." I told her.

"Really?" Olivia asked a bit surprised.

"Well, Amelia, meet your uncle Austin." She told her daughter.

"So, that makes you my niece." I told the little blond.

"And you my aunt?" She asked looking at Ally.

"Maybe one day." Ally answered.

"Why not now?" The little girl asked Ally and I laughed.

"Because Austin and I are not married." Ally answered simply.

"Marry her. I want aunt Ally." The four-year-old demanded looking at me.

"Maybe someday." I said smiling at Ally. Yeah, I think Ally might become my wife someday, but now, we've got to get through college.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" My sister asked me.

"We'd love to." I answered happily.

* * *

 **Well, I wrote another chapter in less than a week and I am really happy about that. I loved writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it and don't be afraid to tell me what you guys think. I love to read you guys' opinion. Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, following and the favorites. It means so much to me, especially to the ones who are following this story until the very end. Peace out :)**


	33. Our future

**Chapter 33  
Our Future**

* * *

 **Ally's POV**

Time flies by so fast you don't even see it. I've been living here, in Quebec City, for almost ten months now. I really thought I would hate this place since my friends and family are three thousand kilometers away. I never expected to find amazing friends like Trish and Dez and an amazing boyfriend like Austin.

There are only three months left of high school and then we are off to college to study what we actually have an interest in. Our acceptance letters still haven't come, but they are supposed to arrive this week. Austin and I both applied at a college close to where we live now and in Montreal. We have a better chance to get into the program if we apply at two places. I'm pretty sure I'll be accepted pretty much anywhere since I love school and has always done well in school. We did this because Austin had slacked off in school since he moved here and his grades are not the best. He passed everything, but at the minimum you needed to pass. I really hope he'll get in at the college he wants too.

We never actually talked about what would happen if he only gets accepted in Montreal. He will have to move. I don't know if I'll follow him, because that would mean moving away from my family and my friends again.

Anyway, on another subject, it's already been a month since we met Austin newly found sister and her family and I swear I have never seen Austin happier. Olivia is so sweet and she is really living up to the status of his big sister. They talk practically every day, so she now knows in details what happened to Austin when he was younger and how he ended up here. He also loves being an uncle. I have never seen him act around him before and it is the sweetest thing ever. He just has it when it comes to children. It makes my desire to create a family with him even bigger.

Lately, I have been having these thoughts a lot. I mean, high school is almost done and real life will be happening soon. I truly and deeply love Austin and I know he reciprocates my feelings, so maybe we'll move in together in the next couple of years and when we are done with studies and have steady jobs, I wish we would have family. We have not really talked about this together though.

Anyway, Austin's parents decided that it was time for them to meet Austin's sister and her family so they invited the little family over for dinner tonight. Austin gladly and obviously invited me. We are pretty much inseparable after all. I'm actually excited to see Olivia, Sebastien and Amelia again. They are all such nice people.

"So, ready for tonight?" Austin asked me sitting on my bed while I chose the outfit I would wear.

"Of course. I love seeing Olivia and her family." I responded to my boyfriend with a warm smile.

"I'm actually a bit nervous." Austin admitted.

"Why?" I asked him. There was really nothing to be worried about. Mimi and Mike are going to love Olivia. I am sure of it.

"I don't know. It just feels weird to have my adoptive parents meet my biological sister." He told me.

"There is nothing to be worried about." I assured the blond sitting on my bed. "Should I go with the red top or this light blue one?"

Austin rolled his eyes. "You look good wearing anything."

"Thanks." I answered him with a slight blush creeping its way on my face.

"But you know what looks even better on you?" He asked me and I raised an eyebrow. "Nothing."

He stood and put his hands on my hip while I put mine around his neck.

"You're such a boy." I told him grinning and he laughed.

"And you love me like that." He whispered and I could feel his lips brush against mine, but he pulled away immediately with a teasing glare.

"You are such a tease." I shouted. "You don't get to do that and just walk away."

I walked up to him and pulled him in. I captured his lips with mine and we both smile into the kiss and we might have chuckled too, but I don't remember since I was mesmerized by his lips. We kissed for a couple of minutes, or hours maybe, I don't know. I pulled away at some point, because I needed air and I needed to get ready for the dinner.

It took me half an hour to be decent looking and we then walked to Austin's place.

"Mom, dad, I'm going to Austin's." I yelled through the house.

"When are you not?" My dad said to tease me. I knew he was doing a lot of efforts and I knew he still did not like Austin that much. Actually, he hates the fact that I am growing up. And maybe he's a bit shaken up by the fact that he found the box of condoms almost empty in my room two days ago. He confronted me about it saying I was too young for that and bla bla bla, but I had been able to make him realize that I am not a child anymore and that Austin and I are serious about our relationship, so I think he's starting to accept it.

"Have fun." My mother said happily.

"We will." I answered.

We both left the house and entered Austin's. The perk of being neighbors. We don't have to walk a lot to see each other. We arrived about ten minutes before Olivia arrived. They were living an hour and a half away after all. Mimi and Mike wanted them to stay the night, but they refused saying they did not want to bother them. Anyway, car rides helped Amelia sleep since she was hard to put to sleep. That's what Olivia said anyway.

They arrived at the Moon's about forty-five minutes after Austin and I arrived. I could see he was really nervous about this. He kept pacing from the living room to the kitchen.

"Stop pacing, you're creating a draft." I told him and he laughed silently.

"I can't help it." He answered me.

"What could possibly go wrong? She is your sister and your parents are amazing people. I don't understand why you are so worried about this." I told him honestly. There was really nothing to be worried about.

"What if they don't like her?" Austin asked.

"That's not it." I told Austin. I knew there was something more to it.

"Fine. It's just really weird for me to have a bigger family. I'm not sure if I can handle it." Austin admitted and my eyes softened at what he just admitted.

"How come?" I asked him. "Austin, you've come such a long way since I met you. You have accepted your feelings for me and look at where we are now. You have moved on. I'm sure you can handle it. A bigger family means more people that love and support you."

"I guess." He answered.

"Now, come one, let's go greet your sister. I just heard them enter the house." I told my amazing boyfriend.

* * *

"So, how did you guys meet?" Olivia asked me and Austin raising and eyebrow.

The seven of us were sitting in the dining room and we were chatting about this and that. So far, Mimi seems delighted with the family sitting in front of her. She seems so happy to talk to Olivia and to play with Amelia. I've never seen her around a young child before and she seems way too happy, maybe it was because she never had a child that age. Austin was thirteen when they adopted him after all. I can't imagine what it will be like when she has grandchildren.

Oh no.

I did not just think that.

"We met on the bus on the first day of school." Austin told his sister.

"And it was love at first sight." Olivia stated and asked at the same time with a teasing smile on her face.

"Not exactly." Austin said shyly and I tried to hide my laugh. I think he was embarrassed of how he acted around me at first.

I looked around making sure Mimi was keeping Amelia occupied and I spoke. "I was looking at him in the bus and he literally told me to stop fucking looking at him."

"You did that?" Olivia asked shocked scolding Austin and I tried to hide my laugh.

"He did. It took a couple of months for him to stop cussing at me. It took months for him to warm up to me." I explained. "He was a real pain, but I never gave up."

"And I am so glad you never gave up." Austin said as he joined our hands under the table.

"He's making up for all those times he cussed at me." I whispered behind my hand so Austin would not hear me even though I know he clearly did.

"Aw, would you look at that. Young love. It reminds me of how we acted when we started dating." Olivia said to Sebastien. "And now, we are married and have a child."

* * *

I was now sitting in the living room with Olivia, Mimi and Amelia and we were discussing about anything really. Amelia was sitting on the ground and she was playing with a baby doll. She was changing its diaper and then she started to sing a lullaby to it. It was adorable, really.

Austin, Sebastien and Mike were still sitting in the kitchen and they were playing a game of cards I think. Austin gets along great with Sebastien. That is something I love to see. I still can't believe that ever since I arrived, he went from an antisocial person who rejected everyone to having family diners with his sister's husband and actually enjoying it.

"Ally?" Olivia said my name.

"Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts." I said sheepishly as I regain consciousness of what was around me.

"Are you okay?" Mimi asked me.

"Yes. I've just got a lot on my mind lately." I admitted and it was true. College acceptance letters would arrive soon and determine our future, the end of the year is always stressful and seeing Amelia always made me think about having a family with Austin.

"It always help when you share." Olivia said a bit insistently.

I stayed quiet and Mimi spoke.

"I remember that you kept telling Austin to share to make him feel better. Maybe you should follow your own advice." Mimi said and she winked at me. Ugh… I hate it when she is right.

"The end of the year is always stressful." I told them.

"That's not it." Olivia said. "You spaced out when you were staring at Amelia."

"How can you guys read me like a book?" I asked them. "Alright, it's just, seeing how happy you are with Sebastien and your daughter makes me want it too and I am scared, because my whole future will be determined when we both get our damn acceptance letters."

"Ally." Olivia started. "It's normal to be afraid of your future. You never know what's going to happen. What I do know, is that you need to take a leap of faith. Go for what you want."

"Thank you, Olivia." I answered her. "That's actually really good advice."

"I have my moments." She said cheekily.

"So, you really are deeply in love with my little brother?" She asked nosily.

"Yeah, I am." I told them.

"You want a future with him?" She asked.

"More than anything." I told the two women sitting beside me.

"Then, you'll have to take a leap of faith." Olivia answered and I smiled.

Her words echoed in my head all night long.

 _Take a leap of faith._

* * *

On the next Monday morning, Austin, Elliot, Trish, Dez, Lea and I were sitting in the cafeteria before class started. We always reunited there before classes to just enjoy each other's company. We all have gotten so close during that past couple of months and I am really happy about that. I never thought I would be able to make so many friends. Back in Miami, I was seen as a nerd and not many people actually talked to me. That reputation was left in Miami and I am really happy about that. I do really miss seeing Piper everyday though. She is my best friend I could never replace her. I'm just happy I was finally able to express myself and to be confident in who I am.

"So, did you guys get your acceptance letter?" Elliot asked everyone sitting at the table.

"I did." Trish said excitedly. "I am going to be studying fashion at a college fifteen minutes from here." Trish had always loved fashion and she always have to retain herself from telling me or Lea or any other girl that what we are wearing is not fashionable. She has a sense of fashion that no one I know has. She is really talented.

"Wow Trish, I am so happy for you." Lea said.

"I got accepted in film making at a college in Lac-St-Jean." Dez said. Dez always has a camera on him and he loves to film pretty much everything. Trish finds it really annoying. I think it is a bit odd, but the films he makes are actually really good.

"That's far away." Austin commented.

"The program there is amazing though." Dez said.

"I'm going to study marketing here in Quebec." Elliot said happily. I don't know Elliot that well, but I am sure he's going to be really good. He is really good at convincing people and he's really good at math. That's the perfect job for him.

"What about Auslly?" Lea asked cheerily.

"Huh?" I asked her confused and Austin raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"You know, your couple's name: a mix between Austin and Ally." Lea said.

"Ah, so we're at that point now?" Austin asked smiling and looking at me.

"I guess so." I said as I intertwined my fingers with his.

"We did not get any letters yet." Austin told the group.

"I didn't either." Lea said.

"I guess we'll see tonight." I told everyone.

* * *

Austin and I were both sitting on my bed with both of our acceptance letters in our hands. I took a deep breath. This is it. This is the moment I have been dreading for the last couple of days. Anything can go downhill from now on. I might not get accepted, he might not get accepted and we might get accepted in colleges that are three hours away from each other.

"You ready to do this?" Austin asked me.

"Yeah." I answered not so confidently.

"Whatever lies in these letters, we'll get through it." Austin said to me. I think he knows he does not have a big chance of being accepted because of his low grade.

"Let's open the one from Quebec." I told Austin and we did as I asked.

I scanned the paper and saw what I wanted. I got in.

"I got in." I exclaimed happily as Austin stared blankly at the paper in front of his eyes.

"I didn't." Austin said lowering his voice.

"I'm so sorry, Austin." I said as I put one hand on his shoulder.

"Let's open the next one." I told him. It was easier to get into a college far from Montreal, because they did not ask for super high grades. I know he has less chances, but we never know.

I opened it first and I saw the words again.

"I got in." I said.

Austin looked at me and smiled. He still hadn't opened the letter.

"Open it for me." He demanded. "I'm too nervous to do it myself."

I took the letter in my hand and ripped the envelop to open it. I took the papers that were in it and unfolded them. I scanned the paper carefully before speaking. A smile formed on my face.

"You got in!" I shouted happily with a huge grin on my face.

"I did?" Austin asked as he snatched the paper form my hand. He scanned it with his eyes and a huge grin form on his face too.

"I got in!" I cheered. He stood and I did too. He hugged me and then he twirled me.

"I am so happy." He exclaimed.

"We've got to go tell Mimi and Mike." I cheered.

We immediately walked to Austin's house and he shouted as soon as we got inside.

"Mom, dad, I got in!"

Mimi and Mike arrived from opposite sides of the house.

"What?" The both asked simultaneously.

"I got accepted. I'm going to college!" He cheered and Mimi screamed.

"I am so proud of you!" She said as she and Mike hugged their son.

"Which one?" Mimi asked.

"In Montreal." He said.

"Well, son, I guess you're moving to Montreal this summer." Mike said excitedly.

Wait, what? Of course he's moving to Montreal, but, if I want to be with him, I have to move to Montreal too. I did not think this through.

"Aren't you happy for Austin?" Mimi asked as she noticed I didn't share the same excitement as them.

"Of course. I am ecstatic." I said through gritted teeth, but she did not notice. "I'm gonna go tell my parents the wonderful news."

I immediately left their house after that to obviously tell my parents the good news. That is not why I wanted to leave though. I needed to be by myself to think.

My parents were incredibly happy that I got into college and they both said they could not be more proud. They kept asking about which one I was going to choose though. I don't know.

I was sitting on my bed when I heard the door to my room open. I turned around to see Austin.

"Hey." He said charmingly like he always does. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just needed to think some things through." I told him and that was true.

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"I don't know what to do, Austin." I told him.

"What do you mean?" He asked me confused.

"I don't know which college to choose." I told him truthfully. His face fell.

"I thought we were going to Montreal together. My parents already started to look for apartments over there." He said with a very disappointed tone.

"I know, but if I leave for Montreal, I'll have to say goodbye to my family and my friends again. I lived through this once and I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle it again." I said truthfully.

"You don't want to be with me?" Austin asked me and I could feel the anger in his tone.

"That's not it." I told him.

"So, you're okay with abandoning me, but not your family." Austin said and I knew he was angry at that point.

"That's not it, Austin. I just need to think about it." I told him.

"I'm going home. You better decide fast." He demanded and he left my room faster than I said his name.

"Austin."

It was too late. He was gone.

I know he needs some time to calm down and to think about all of this.

So do I.

I stayed in my room for quite a while until my mother came in and saw the tears on my cheeks.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" She asked me concerned.

I told my mother about how I got accepted at both places and how Austin only got accepted in Montreal. I told her about how I was conflicted between him and my family and friends here and how I had no idea what to do.

"Honey, you have to do what feels right." My mom told me.

"Both choices feel wrong, mom." I told her.

"Surely one of them feels less wrong than the other." My mom said.

Then, I remembered the words Olivia spoke to me.

 _Take a leap of faith._

* * *

As soon as I got up the next morning, I put some clothes on and headed for the house next door. I had made my choice and I needed to tell Austin about this. I knocked on the door and Mimi opened the door.

"Ally, dear, come on in." She said sympathetically.

"Morning, Mimi." I told her.

"So, do you want to tell me about what happened last night? Austin came home furious and upset." Mimi asked me.

"I know. I told him I was not sure about which college to choose and that I needed to think about all this." I told Mimi sheepishly.

"Oh. I see." Mimi said and it made me nervous. "And why are you hesitating?"

"I just left Miami, my best friend and my family to come and live here. Moving to Montreal would mean leaving my family and my friends all over again. At the same time, I know moving to Montreal with Austin would mean starting our future together." I explained to Mimi.

"So, why are you here so early?" Mimi asked me.

"To tell Austin what I decided." I told Mimi confidently.

She raised an eyebrow.

"I decided to take a leap of faith." I told her and she knew exactly what I meant.

"I am so happy to hear that, dear." Mimi said excitedly. "Go see Austin now, I think he's still asleep."

I did as instruct and climbed the stairs to meet Austin in his room. I opened the door carefully and the first thing I noticed was Austin sprawled in his bed calmly sleeping and lightly snoring.

"Wake up, sleepy head." I said as I gently shook his shoulders. He stirred a little and shifted before changing his positions like I did nothing to wake him up.

Then, I got a bright idea. "I'm making pancakes."

His eyes opened immediately. "I'm up, I'm up."

His eyes seemed to adjust to the light and then he saw me.

"Ally?" He asked definitely confused by my presence.

"Morning, gorgeous." I told him.

Once he realized I was in fact there and sat up straight and a serious look took over his face.

"Ally." He repeated. "I wanted to apologize for last night. I was being stupid. I am going to support you whatever you decide to do, because I am your boyfriend and I love you."

"Aw, I'm really glad to hear that, Austin. I've actually come here to tell you about what I decided." I told him and his eyes lit up slightly.

"We're moving to Montreal!" I said excitedly.

"We are?" He asked immediately a bit confused, but then, then his eyes lit up and his smile grew wide. "We're moving to Montreal together!"

"We are!" I said. He leaned in and captured my lips with his. We shared an emotional and passionate kiss.

"Thank you, Ally." Austin said as we pulled away.

"For what?" I asked a bit confused.

"For saving me." He said with a serious on his face.

"Well, it's my pleasure." I answered with a huge grin.

"I love you, so much." He told me.

"I know and I love you that much too." I responded.

After all we've been through: fights, being apart, fights, rumors, fights, an accident, etc., I am glad I were able to see the boy behind the mask.

* * *

 **That is it, that is it. That was the last chapter of The Boy Behind the Mask beside the epilogue that will come in shortly (in the next two weeks) after this one. I actually write an almost complete chapter instead of this one, but I hated it and I started over. I want to thank you all so much for your amazing support. I couldn't have done without you all. You are the ones that gave me the motivation to complete this story and I am super glad I did. As of now, this was my favorite story to write and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did.**

 **I want to take time to thank all of the amazing people that read and reviewed this story even if it was just to tell me you did not like it. I really appreciate the fact that you took time to read my work. I also want to thank everyone who followed this story until the end. You have no idea how much it means to me.**

 **I love you all and you are all amazing. :)**

 **Now, I have started to write a new auslly multi-chapter story. It will be about have the length of this one, but if you are interested, here is the summary:**

 _ **Ally Dawson, a seventeen-year-old pop sensation, was sent back to high school under a new identity to correct her obnoxious attitude. Austin Moon was a senior going to that high school. Hatred was the first thing felt when they met. It did not help that they were forced to write a song together for their music class, but maybe, just maybe, it would bring them closer after all.**_


	34. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

* * *

"When will I be able to take those blindfolds off?" I asked my boyfriend as I sat on the passenger seat of his car.

"When I say it." He responded, laughing. He knew how impatient I was in situations like that and he loved to tease me. He said he had a surprise for me and that he'd bring me somewhere special today.

"Does it have anything to do with the fact that today is our sixth-year anniversary?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow, even he can't see it because of the blindfolds.

"Maybe." He said secretively.

"Ugh." I complained. "Can't you just tell me?"

"Nope." He responded. He enjoyed this way too much.

It was true, Austin and I had been together for six years now. I can't believe how fast time passes. We are still living in Montreal, but we were able to buy our own condo, which is fantastic. We live in the old port of Montreal and we have a beautiful view of the river. I started university three years ago and I am studying to become a music teacher while Austin just finished his degree to become a social worker. I'm gonna finish my degree at the end of spring. He's been working full time for a year now and he really loves what he's doing. I never expected him to turn a new leaf like that. He's changed so much ever since I met him. He's not that bitter and angry teenager anymore.

Today is our sixth-year anniversary and he said he had a special day planned. He insisted to blindfold me because he didn't want me to know where we were going. We've been in the car for about two hours now. Well, it feels like it. My guess is that he's bringing me to Quebec City, but I don't know why. Well, it's probably because we met here.

Finally, he stopped and we both got out of the car. He untied the blindfold and finally let me look around.

"We're in Quebec." I stated, looking around me.

"True." He answered as he smiled nervously.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

"I just thought you'd be happier than that." He answered.

"I am happy to be here with you, but when you said you had a surprise for me, I didn't expect you to take me to Quebec City, that's all."

"I thought we could go for a walk along the river." He said. "I know it's kinda cold, but we haven't done that in ages."

"I would love to." I answered as I hold onto Austin's arm and we started to walk. I forgot how beautiful it was this time of the year. The broken ice flowed slowly on the river which was very special to watch. After about fifteen minutes, we reached a very familiar place. It was the place where Austin used to hide when he didn't want to be bothered; the place where it started for us.

"This brings back so many memories." I said as I watched Austin's reaction.

"I first let my walls down around you here." Austin said. "And I am glad I did."

"Me too." I answered with a wide smile.

"This is where it all started for us." Austin said. "This is where I decided to I wasn't going to fight my feelings for you anymore. You've helped me so much ever since that very first moment we shared. I couldn't be more grateful."

"Stop it, you're making me blush." I answered as I felt the blood rush to my cheeks.

"What's new?" He asked, teasing. "But seriously, you literally saved me and I fell in love with you in this city. That's why I wanted to be here on our sixth anniversary."

And then, he did something I never expected him to do. He got down on one knee and looked me in the eyes, waiting for my reaction. I stared at him utterly shocked. Was this really happening? Was he really proposing? Yet, he was there, on his knee, with a small jewelry box in his hands.

"Ally Marie Dawson, would you make me the happiest man on Earth, and marry me?" He asked as he opened a red velvet box he was hiding in his jacket's pocket.

The ring was beautiful; it was very simple, but very elegant. It was made of silver and small diamonds.

I stared at the ring and them at him. I didn't realize I was crying until I felt the tears flow on my cheeks. They were obviously tears of joy.

I nodded with a warm smile.

"Yes." I shouted. "I will marry you."

He got up, put the ring on my finger, and then I tackled him. It was a good thing he was strong, because we would have fallen otherwise.

I crashed my lips on his and we shared one of the most emotional kissed we've ever shared.

"I love you." I said.

"And I love you." He answered and I swear I saw tears in his eyes.

"So, that's why you wanted to bring me here." I reasoned, smiling like an idiot and with tears still rolling on my cheeks.

"Yes. I've been planning this for quite some time now." He responded. "You know the weekend I was supposedly going to a convention about two months ago?"

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Well, I actually came here to talk to my parents and then to your parents about this." Austin said.

"Really?" I asked. "I can't wait to tell them the good news."

"Me neither." He answered.

"I was so scared you would see right through me." Austin said shyly. "Did I surprise you?"

"Did you surprise me?" I asked. "Of course you did. As much as we love each other, I didn't think you were ready for an engagement like that."

Somehow, he didn't exactly look please with my answer.

"Austin, that means you're happy and if you're happy, I am ecstatically happy too." I answered. "I know how big this feels and how nervous it probably made you. After everything's that's happened to you, that means you're ready to have a life of your own and let go of the past. It means you're risking feeling _feelings_ with me for the rest of your life. It means you're happy and nothing could make me happier. I love you and I can't wait to walk down the aisle and tell you, 'I do.'"

He smiled at my answer and pulled me into another long, awaited kiss.

"You're so amazing." He told me.

"I know." I answered.

After a couple of minutes of kissing, we realized it was actually cold outside and that maybe we should get back to the car to drive to our parents' houses. We needed to tell them the good news.

I've always dreamed of the moment I would announce my engagement to my parents.

When we got there, we immediately walked into my parents' house and they were waiting for us.

"Ally, Austin." My mother exclaimed as she opened the door excitedly.

"Mom!" I said as I hugged her.

Since we live more than two hours away, I don't see my parents that often, we try to come to Quebec about once a month, but I can't do that during finals or midterms.

"Dad!" I shouted as I spotted my father.

My parents both greeted my fiancé and then I couldn't keep a straight face anymore.

"We come with great news." I said right after I put my jacket on a hook and took off my gloves. I extended my hand in front of their faces to how them the ring.

"You guys are engaged?" My mom said enthusiastically. "My baby is getting married."

"We are so happy for you." My dad added and it surprised me a bit. Even if it's been six years since Austin and I started dating, he still had trouble accepting the fact that I wasn't a little girl anymore.

"Thank you, dad." I said to my father.

"We need to go tell Mimi and Mike." I said as I turned to face Austin.

"No need." My mom said and I furrowed my eyebrows at her response.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because they are in the living room." My mom said.

"Great, let's go see them." I said as I walked towards the living room.

I did not expect to find what I found there. Mimi and Mike were indeed there, but they weren't alone. Sitting beside them were Trish, her newest boyfriend, Lea, Elliot, Dez, his girlfriend Carrie, Olivia, Sebastien and their daughter, Amelia. What I really did not expect to see was Gavin and Piper, my best friend.

Suddenly, all of them stood up and hugged me and Austin one by one to congratulate us on our engagement.

I heard all sorts of things like:

"We're so happy for you."

"It's about time."

"You two are so perfect for each other."

"I can't wait for the wedding."

I thanked all of them and I was so glad to see all of my friends, but I gotta say, I was extremely happy to see Piper. I hadn't seen her in two years. It's not like I can just drive to her place on the weekend. It would take more than the weekend to just drive to Miami.

Eventually, all the boys went to the kitchen to sit at the table to play card games while the women stayed in the living room to talk.

"I can't believe you all came here for me." I said to my best friends.

"When Austin sent us the message about the proposal, we couldn't miss it." Piper answered.

"I can't believe how serious you guys are now." Trish added.

"I know. I sometimes can't believe it either." I responded. "He's really turned a new leaf, and so have I."

"We can see that." Olivia said as Amelia tried to comb her mother's hair.

"I told you that you were gonna marry Austin." The ten-year-old told me.

"I guess you were right, Amelia." I said and Trish and Piper raised an eyebrow. "The first time I met Olivia, Sebastien and Amelia, Amelia was four and she literally demanded that I marry Austin so I could be her aunt."

"Aww, that's so cute." Mimi stated.

"I guess you got your wish." I said to Amelia.

"But I still think of you as my aunt even if you're not married." Amelia said and I smiled.

"And you my niece." I told Amelia.

The conversation went on like that all night long. Eventually, the boys joined us and we just talked and talked about how our lives were going, how work was, university, etc. it was really nice to catch up with everyone.

My parents also cooked dinner, but somehow, I wasn't really hungry. I ate a bit, but I felt a bit nauseous. I had been feeling like that in the last couple of days and I'm not sure why. Maybe I caught a stomach bug or something. Everyone was too excited or distracted to notice though. I've got to admit that the excitement of the day also made me forget.

When everyone left for their houses or their hotel, Austin and I had to decide what to do. Well, I thought so.

He told me he rented a room in a hotel and specifically said that he would not spend the night of our engagement in my parents or his parents' house.

He was right. I wouldn't want our parents to suffer that.

"Alright, are you ready to go?" Austin asked me excitedly.

"And spend the night with my new fiancé?" I asked, teasing the blond. "I definitely am."

"I like your thinking." He told me and then we left for the hotel.

That night was definitely a night to remember and a night full of passion. I am glad we chose to go to a hotel instead of staying at one of our parents' houses like we usually do.

Although, I woke up the next morning feeling like I've been feeling in the last couple of days, nauseous. I started to stir in the bed and it woke up Austin.

"Morning wife-to-be." He greeted me with a sleepy smile.

"Morning hubby-to-be." I mimicked as I straightened and then proceeded to get out of bed.

"Already getting up?" He asked in a disappointed tone.

"I'm not feeling too well. I need to go to the bathroom." I said.

"Alright." He said as he let me go.

As soon as I entered our room's bathroom, I walked to the toilet and threw up.

That's a nice way to start the day.

I brushed my teeth as soon as I was done and decided to go to the drugstore. I had my doubts on what was going on with me and I needed confirmation.

"I'm gonna go to the drugstore." I told my fiancé as I grabbed my boots and my jacket.

"At nine in the morning?" He asked. "Can't we eat breakfast first?"

"I just threw up. I'm not really hungry." I answered. "I want to go to the store to get some medication."

"How about you stay here and I go to the store?" He suggested, but I wanted to go to the store myself, and alone.

"No, I wanna go." I pleaded. "I think some fresh cold air will do me good."

"I'll come with you, then." He suggested. How am I going to get out of this?

"I wanna leave now and you're not ready." I said.

"Ally, are you okay?" Austin asked. "You're acting strange."

"I'm fine." I said a little too quickly.

"If you say so." He answered and then I left for the drugstore.

* * *

I was now sitting on the edge of the bath in our hotel room staring at the stick in my hand.

I needed confirmation and it was right under my eyes.

I heard him knock on the door.

"Minou, are you okay?" He asked me. I've been in the bathroom not moving for the past fifteen minutes. I couldn't believe it. Well, I could. Austin and I weren't trying to have a child, but we weren't careful either. It was bound to happen. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." I answered.

As shocked as I was with this revelation, I couldn't really hide that from Austin. I don't want to hide something like that from him. This is going to change our lives and I want him to learn about it first. I am happy, but I am surprised too.

He gently opened the door and scanned the room to find me. As soon as he saw me, he sat beside me and looked at what was in my hand with a mix of confusion and shock.

"Is that what I think it is?" He asked me carefully.

"Yes." I answered simply.

"Are we?" He asked without finishing his sentence, but I knew exactly what he meant.

"Yes." I answered.

"We're gonna have a baby?" He asked and I could see joy spread all over his face. His beautiful genuine smile appeared and he looked way more than content.

I nodded as an answer and he immediately hugged me, excited.

"We're gonna have our own family." He said and I could feel the excitement in his voice.

Once he let go of me, he noticed I didn't share the same expression as him.

"Are you not happy?" He asked, concerned.

"Terrified would be the term." I answered honestly.

"You didn't want to have a baby?" He asked, almost shocked.

"It's not that. I just—I don't know how to explain. I guess I didn't expect to get pregnant so soon. I'm not even done with university yet." I answered. "I'm thrilled that we're gonna have our own family, but I can't help wonder if I'm ready for that."

He took one of my hands between his and looked me in the eyes.

"Ally, you're the one who taught me to accept changes and to make the most of them. I think you should take your own advice." He said. "Besides, if I remember correctly, you've once told Olivia that you wanted to have a family with me."

"I never told you that." I defended. "Oh, she told you."

He laughed.

"She's my sister, she can't hide anything from me." Austin stated and I laughed.

"Aren't you a bit scared?" I asked the blond.

"Petrified." He answered honestly. "But we are going to live this together and this is going to be the best experience of our lives."

"You're right. This is the most frightening thing ever, but this is going to be the best experience ever." I repeated and my fiancé smiled.

"I love you." He told me.

"And I, you." I responded.

We both smiled at each other and excitement was slowly making its way to my face.

"We're gonna have a baby." I repeated as if I needed to make myself believe it.

Austin looked at me and pulled me in for a kiss.

"When are we telling our parents?" Austin asked.

"I want to go to the doctor first, to make sure everything is all right and then we'll tell them." I answered. "I just need to find a doctor."

"To the internet." Austin said in a very dramatic voice.

"What are you doing?" I asked the boy as he walked away only to come back with his phone.

"Searching for a doctor." He answered.

Austin searched for doctors all around Quebec City and he found quite a few. The only problem was that I don't have any family doctor In Canada, so I can't show up to just any doctors. After a while, Austin decided to bring me to a clinic where they would be able to do a serious pregnancy test and then they would try to find me a family doctor and a gynecologist. We scheduled an appointment and I will go to the nearest clinic tomorrow to get tested.

This was still so surreal for me. I mean, the same weekend we get engaged, we also learned that I am pregnant with our first child. This is overwhelming.

When we went to the doctor, I think Austin was more nervous than I was. He was sitting on the chair with his leg bouncing up and down nervously waiting for my turn. Everyone around us looked at us annoyed or smiling, probably realizing why we were here.

"Ally Dawson?" A nurse called from across the room.

"That would be me." I answered and she indicated to follow her. Austin also followed behind me.

I sat on the table in the doctor's office and waited for him to arrive.

"This is it." I told Austin.

"I know." He answered, "I really hope everything is fine."

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." I assured him.

"Mrs. Dawson." A lady in her fifties greeted me.

"One day, it'll be Mrs. Moon." I whispered to Austin right after I greeted the doctor.

"The nurse told me you thought you were pregnant?" She said.

"That's true. I used a pregnancy test and it indicated so. I just wanted to make sure it was true." I answered simply and she smiled.

"Well, I'm going to need you to urinate in that bottle." The doctor said showing me the bottle. "And then give it to me so we can analyze it."

"That sounds good." I answered as I took the bottle from her hand.

I left to do as ask and came back a couple of minutes later with the bottle while Austin looked disgusted. I laughed silently at his reaction and then the doctor told us to go back to the waiting room and that we should get the results in about half an hour.

"It's as simple as that?" Austin asked oblivious.

"What did you think they would do?" I asked chuckling.

"I don't know, but not analyze your 'urine.'" He answered and I laughed.

"You can be such a guy sometimes." I told him.

"Is that a way of telling me I'm stupid?" He asked laughing.

"Nope, that you're oblivious to girls' things." I answered.

What the couple didn't notice was that a woman in her seventies was listening to them and smiling to herself, it was only when she spoke that they realized.

"You two remind me so much of my late husband and I." She said.

"Really?" Austin asked.

"I'm sorry about your husband." I told the woman.

"It's okay. That's what happens at some point in life." She answered simply.

"How do we resemble yourself and your husband?" I asked curiously.

"You just reek the same happiness we did when we got married." She answered. "Are you two married?"

"Not yet." I answered.

"But I did propose two days ago." Austin said proudly to the woman as he took my hand and showed her the ring.

"That's a very nice ring, my dear." The woman said as she examined it. "And now you're having a baby too?"

"Yeah, that's why we're here, to make sure I really am pregnant." I answered and she smiled.

"This is going to be the most amazing time of your life, so enjoy it." The woman said. "This is going to be a whole new world and it will bring you closer than ever."

"You really think so?" I asked.

"Yes." She answered seriously. "Having a baby is the most wonderful thing that can ever happen to a couple."

"Ally Dawson?" The nurse called once again.

"Good luck." The woman told us with a warm smile.

We both walked into the doctor's office as she told us about the results. Austin and I smiled widely the entire time. It turns out that I really am pregnant and that I've been pregnant for the last three weeks. So, I should give birth in a bit more than eight months, which will lead us to October. She said that from what she analyzed, everything seemed in order, but that I needed to find myself a family doctor and a gynecologist to follow my pregnancy and to make sure everything is in order. When we left the clinic, Austin turned to me and put his hand on my stomach with a wide smile.

"I can't believe there's a baby slowly growing in there." He said. "You have no idea how happy this makes me feel."

"Well, I can tell from the width of your smile. I think you're as happy as when I told you I would marry you." I answered and his smile grew even wider. I didn't think that was possible.

"How about you?" He asked me.

"I am as happy as I was when I realized you were proposing to me." I answered. "We're going to have a baby."

Austin then pulled me in for a kiss and I could see from the corner of my eyes the woman smiling at us from behind the windows of the clinic.

"Time to tell our parents." I said after we broke the kiss for air.

We entered Austin's car and we drove straight to our parents' houses. I was a really good thing that they were still neighbours. We didn't have to drive too far to see them both. We decided to tell my parents first. We arrived about fifteen minutes later and then stress took over me. What were my parents going to think?

My father opened the door and looked a bit surprised to see us.

"Ally, Austin." My dad greeted.

"Hi." I said and I think Austin could see how nervous I was now because he squeezed one of my hands between his and smiled warmly at me.

"Is mom here?" I asked.

"Yes, she is in the living room." My dad answered.

"Great, we come with great news." Austin told my father.

The three of us walked to the living room and sat on the couch. We all stared at each other silently for a couple of seconds before I spoke up.

"We have great news for you guys." I said.

"You've decided of the date of the wedding?" My mom asked eagerly.

"No." I answered. "It's not about the wedding."

"Oh." My mom reacted.

I could feel Austin take my hand between his and squeezing it once more to reassure me and to tell me there is nothing to worry about.

I took a deep breath and then spoke. "I'm pregnant."

"Really?" My mom asked excitedly as her smile grew wider. "You're having a baby?"

"We are." Austin answered.

"Wow." My dad said.

"So, you got engaged and learned you were pregnant on the same weekend?" My mom said. "This is a bit overwhelming."

"I know." I answered. "But the important part is that we are happy about it."

Austin seemed pleased with my answer and just smiled a bit more.

"When are you going to give birth?" My mom asked.

"In October, I believe." I answered.

"This gives me a couple of months to plan the best baby shower ever." My mom exclaimed excitedly and Austin facepalmed.

"Wow." He said, laughing.

After the big revelation, we talked with my parents for about two hours about the future baby and our future as a family. My dad grew very concerned with my studies and I am a bit too. I don't know how I am going to manage being pregnant and studying at the same time, but that's just something Austin and I will work out eventually. We left a bit after that to meet with Austin's parents. They also needed to know about my pregnancy and I was certain that Mimi would be ecstatic.

It only took us a couple of minutes to end up in Austin's old living room with Mimi and Mike sitting on the sofa in front of us. Mimi was smiling like she knew something and Mike was just happy to see us.

"We have great news." Austin said for the second time today.

"You're pregnant." Mimi said, looking at me.

"Yes." I answered, shocked. "How did you know? My parents told you, didn't they?"

"No, no one told me." Mimi answered and we all looked at her confused. "What could be a greater news than your engagement?"

"Right." Austin said. "Way to ruin the surprise."

"Come on. Ally was complaining how she always felt sick in the morning in the last couple of days, so I did the math." Mimi said. "I was expecting this to happen sooner or later. Besides, Ally's not very good at hiding stuff."

"Hey." I intervened. "I didn't even know I was pregnant the last time I saw you."

"You were glowing. It was obvious." Mimi said.

"For you." Austin retorted.

The conversation went on and on like that and, like with my parents, we discussed a lot about the future of Austin and I's family. Mimi already said she would call my mom to organize the best baby shower ever. We also talked a lot about the changes we lived in the last couple of years and how our lives are going to keep changing like that when the baby is born.

"Aren't you glad you moved here?" Mimi asked and it reminded so much of the fight Austin and I had about Miami and now, I don't ever want to leave Canada.

"I'm very glad I left a sunny city for a freaking cold and snowy one." I teased and the all laughed.

"But your sun is right here." Austin said referring to himself.

"Feeling cheesy today?" I asked, chuckling.

"I think I have the right to be overly happy and cheesy today; you're going to become my wife soon AND we're having a baby." He answered and both his parents laughed.

"Fair enough." I answered. "I can be pretty cheesy too, you know."

"Really?" He challenged me.

"Yes." I answered. "If I was really cheesy, I would tell you that I am so glad I broke your barriers and discovered who the boy behind the mask really was."

"Okay, you win." He answered as he pulled me in for a soft and chaste kiss.

* * *

 **And that is it for The Boy Behind the Mask. I can't believe I finally finished writing this story. I want to thank you all so much for all the support you've been giving me. I couldn't have done it without you. I mean, I loved writing this story, but seeing all your comments/favorites/follows just motivated me even more. Even if you were a silent reader, you still took time to read this story and I am really glad you did. I want to thank everyone who gave this story a chance even if it wasn't your taste and stopped reading. I thought publishing the epilogue on January 3** **rd** **would be a great idea since I published the first chapter of this story exactly a year ago.**

 **Also, I've been re-reading the chapters and I've started editing them and adding a bit of text to make it more complete. I'm also trying to correct the grammar. I don't know how long it will take me to edit all the chapters, but I've already done the first two chapters.**

 **I love you all.**

 **Peace out :)**


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